reason 1 of 2

noun

ˈrē-zᵊn How to pronounce reason (audio)
Definition of reasonnext
1
as in explanation
a statement given to explain a belief or act she gave a good reason for her seemingly suspicious behavior

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2
as in motive
something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing a firm belief that we are here on earth to help others is the reason for her tireless volunteer work

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3
as in excuse
an explanation that frees one from fault or blame what reason do you have for being in such a bad mood?

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4
as in cause
someone or something responsible for a result what's the meteorological reason for tornadoes?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in sense
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems you'll need to use all of your reason to get out of this tight spot

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6
as in mind
the normal or healthy condition of the mental abilities was afraid that with all the stress he was under, he'd lose all reason

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in reasoning
the thought processes that have been established as leading to valid solutions to problems in a time of national crisis we need to listen to the voice of reason

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reason

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to understand
to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information she reasoned that since all of the cakes were on sale for the same price, she might as well pick the biggest one

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2
as in to argue
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration he tried to reason that no one in their right mind would buy his brother's old video games, but they were put on the online auction anyway

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word reason different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of reason are cogitate, deliberate, reflect, speculate, and think. While all these words mean "to use one's powers of conception, judgment, or inference," reason stresses consecutive logical thinking.

able to reason brilliantly in debate

When is it sensible to use cogitate instead of reason?

The meanings of cogitate and reason largely overlap; however, cogitate implies deep or intent thinking.

cogitated on the mysteries of nature

Where would deliberate be a reasonable alternative to reason?

The synonyms deliberate and reason are sometimes interchangeable, but deliberate suggests slow or careful reasoning before forming an opinion or reaching a conclusion or decision.

the jury deliberated for five hours

When is reflect a more appropriate choice than reason?

The words reflect and reason can be used in similar contexts, but reflect suggests unhurried consideration of something recalled to the mind.

reflecting on fifty years of married life

When can speculate be used instead of reason?

The words speculate and reason are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, speculate implies reasoning about things theoretical or problematic.

speculated on the fate of the lost explorers

When would think be a good substitute for reason?

Although the words think and reason have much in common, think is general and may apply to any mental activity, but used alone often suggests attainment of clear ideas or conclusions.

teaches students how to think

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of reason
Noun
For this reason, Triola’s belief that a machine’s aggregation acumen presents chefs with an innovative tool for designing recipes strikes me as misguided. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026 Perhaps, for untold reasons, Russian officials decided to abandon plans to orbit the Rassvet satellites at 500 miles. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
Some aldermen sought to ban them, reasoning that businesses using them should switch to the legalized, and therefore regulated and taxed, VGTs. — Joe Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Arab Americans, the group reasoned, would need to organize to resist what was becoming reflexive support for Israel. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
  1. explanation
  2. motive
  3. excuse
  4. cause
  5. sense
  6. mind
  7. reasoning
  8. understand
Noun
  • His best explanations for this are pressure from shareholders to prioritize immediate returns over long-term investments, and years of obsession with digital that came at the expense of physical retail.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The recreation is populated with people, animals, sound effects, and audio explanations.
    — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of explanation
Noun
  • In her detective series, under the pen name Amanda Cross, an English professor solves murders whose motives include bad psychoanalysis, student riots, and biographers who know too much for their own good.
    — Merve Emre, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Richard Novak, another defense attorney, then argued texts Robinson allegedly sent to Twiggs, discussing a rifle, possible motive and other details on the planning surrounding the event are expected to be key evidence in the state’s case.
    — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of motive
Noun
  • While the sun sets earlier and earlier, there’s no better excuse to unplug, curl up and turn the page.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That obviously makes Labor Day a particularly good excuse to mix a cocktail that squeezes a little more out of summer.
    — Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of excuse
Noun
  • This is evidenced by the countless projects and initiatives that have emerged over these nearly three decades to honor her memory and carry on her charitable work in support of important social causes.
    — Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026
  • For his part, Johnson — who has not yet announced a reelection bid — credits progressive policies aimed at the root causes of crime, including major spending on youth summer jobs and community violence intervention.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of cause
Noun
  • In that sense, hitting one in his second career at-bat, which was sandwiched by two strikeouts, was fitting.
    — Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Combining unexpected items can make a lot of sense and save precious space in your backpack.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sense
Noun
  • Specs AccordionItemContainerButton Minimalist and cozy are two words that come to mind when describing the Zixuan daybed, which has a clean silhouette but doesn’t feel sterile thanks to its plump pillows.
    — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Another novel where the author explores how to cultivate the mind, body, home, and social circle in order to propagate creativity, and wonders what happens when any or all elements become fallow or diseased.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of mind
Noun
  • McMillan, who was Prince’s lawyer for more than a decade, jumped on a Zoom with Rolling Stone to discuss Timeless, his reasoning behind the Netflix decision, the estate’s future plans, and much more.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The reasoning behind Criterion’s selections remains somewhat mysterious.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of reasoning
Verb
  • Luiz understands that aspect, too, acknowledging that Sporting KC needed him four separate times during Thursday’s news conference.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of starting with a new component, its engineers worked to understand the hardware already available to NAVAIR.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of understand

Phrases Containing reason

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rearwards
reason
reasonabilities
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Cite this Entry

“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reason

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reason

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