rationalize

ra·tion·al·ize

Since Claire had salad for lunch, she rationalized that it was fine for her to eat a double cheeseburger for dinner.

verb

Rationalize is to attempt to justify something or to make excuses for bad behavior or an unpleasant outcome.

When you steal from your friends but justify it based on the theory that they are spoiled and won't notice the money is gone, this is an example of a situation where you rationalize your behavior.

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"rationalize." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize>.

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rationalize. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize

rationalize

transitive verb

-·ized·, -·iz·ing

to make rational; make conform to reason
to explain or interpret on rational grounds
Chiefly Brit. to apply modern methods of efficiency to (an industry, agriculture, etc.)
Math. to remove the radical signs from (an expression) without changing the value
Psychol. to devise superficially rational, or plausible, explanations or excuses for (one's acts, beliefs, desires, etc.), usually without being aware that these are not the real motives

to think in a rational or rationalistic manner
to rationalize one's acts, beliefs, etc.

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MLA Style

"rationalize." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize>.

APA Style

rationalize. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize

rationalize

verb

ra·tion·al·ized, ra·tion·al·iz·ing, ra·tion·al·iz·es

verb

transitive

To explain rationally: “Philosophy … is essentially the endeavor of the human mind to rationalize the universe” ( Francis E. Abbot )
a. To explain or justify (one's behavior) with incorrect reasons or excuses, often without conscious awareness: rationalized his poor academic performance by claiming the teacher was incompetent.
b. To dismiss or minimize the significance of (something) by means of an explanation or excuse: “He could not rationalize the loss of some thirty thousand American lives in an unsuccessful war” ( Robert Dallek )
a. To make (a business or process, for example) more efficient, as by reducing costs or introducing modern methods.
b. To terminate the employment of (workers) in an effort to improve efficiency.
Mathematics To remove radicals, such as from a denominator, without changing the value of (an expression) or roots of (an equation).

verb

intransitive

To think in a rational or rationalistic way.
To rationalize one's behavior.

Related Forms:

ra′tion·al·iz′er
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"rationalize." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize>.

APA Style

rationalize. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize

Verb

(third-person singular simple present rationalizes, present participle rationalizing, simple past and past participle rationalized)

To make something rational or more rational.
To justify an immoral act, or illogical behaviour. “The process of thought by which one justifies a discreditable act, and by which one offers to oneself and the world a better motive for one's action than the true motive"
(mathematics) To remove radicals, without changing the value of an expression or the roots of an equation.
To structure something along modern, efficient and systematic lines, or according to scientific principles.

Origin

rational +"Ž -ize

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"rationalize." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize>.

APA Style

rationalize. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/rationalize

rationalize - Medical Definition

v.

To attempt to justify one's behavior by providing reasons that obscure one's actual motives.
To dismiss or minimize the significance of something by means of an explanation or excuse.

Related Forms: