SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
rationalization
noun
A seemingly reasonable explanation used to justify conduct or a decision.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Reason offered as justification
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topRationalization often suggests that a plausible explanation conceals or follows the real motive. Justification and explanation can also be entirely sound and sincere.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See rationalization in use
Calling the lost key unimportant sounded like a rationalization for carelessness.
A club officer continued to profess support for open participation while reserving every desirable workshop place for his friends. Members called the conduct hypocritical because he presented himself as a defender of the principle he was disregarding. His rationalization was that familiar faces always made sessions run better, a convenient explanation offered only after the reserved list became public.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license