rationalizations

noun

plural of rationalization
as in pretexts

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rationalizations
  1. pretexts
  2. rationales
  3. pretenses
  4. explanations
  5. justifications
  6. arguments
  7. reasons
  8. guises
Noun
  • Its largest medical center, Al-Shifa Hospital, was besieged, bombed, and raided, under false pretexts, resulting in hundreds of deaths inside.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Pages and pages have been written on this passage, seeking out its ideological subtext, its historical context and its intellectual pretexts in classical and early modern thought.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 9 June 2026
Definition of pretexts
Noun
  • His attorneys claim that, when searching for Murkerson’s vehicle, sheriff’s deputies entered nonsense rationales.
    — Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • While there are plenty of rationales, CBS News will have to be patient and hope that viewers will sample the program, which largely had the same look as last year despite Weiss’ changes.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of rationales
Noun
  • Conference expansion has shattered pretenses to regional coherence.
    — Geraldo L. Cadava, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretenses
Noun
  • But Gottschald has learned that beneath those initial explanations often lie more complicated concerns.
    — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These ideas appeared far less often in our participants’ explanations of what teaching resembles.
    — Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of explanations
Noun
  • Tina was granted a divorce on grounds of cruelty, one of the few legal justifications for divorce in 1903.
    — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Well, it’s generally focused on the origins of and justifications for Baldwin’s multi-decade persecution complex.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of justifications
Noun
  • The potential candidates will also hear more cynical arguments in favor of running no matter what.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Both were sharp, original and capable of making arguments more sophisticated than those of many of their peers.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of arguments
Noun
  • Among their reasons for concern is Ohio’s poor track record when women are on the ballot.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • These tools are primarily used by those who make less than $50,000 according to a 2022 Government Accountability Office report, with food and rent being the key reasons people use the service, one case study of food and restaurant workers found.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of reasons
Noun
  • Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With their traditional, legacy rivals — the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur — in various guises of transition, Arsenal are suddenly the team to beat and the Emirates is suddenly a library of sound; noise please.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of guises
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

rationalization
rationalizations
rationalize
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Cite this Entry

“Rationalizations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rationalizations. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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