as in rational
having the ability to reason
judged by the courts not to be a reasoning being who could be held accountable for his crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in logic
the thought processes that have been established as leading to valid solutions to problems
your reasoning here is faulty, for although all wives are spouses, not all spouses are wives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in understanding
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in arguing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of reasoning
Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Smith wrote in a footnote to his filing that his reasoning on dropping both cases stemmed from opinions from the department's Office of Legal Counsel from 1973 and 2000 that address only federal cases.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2024
Justice Scalia’s statement was rarer still: a concurring opinion that agreed with the five-justice majority on the bottom line on the narrow question before the court but vehemently diverged from its reasoning.
—Adam Liptak, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
With the Houston fair, Untitled will be the first fair in town, and that was part of the reasoning for looking there instead of other US cities that already have similar events, like Los Angeles or Chicago.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reasoning 
Noun
Part of her reasoning was due to DNA evidence, not available in 1999, which was later found on a pair of JonBenét’s long johns.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Nov. 2024
Smith wrote in a footnote to his filing that his reasoning on dropping both cases stemmed from opinions from the department's Office of Legal Counsel from 1973 and 2000 that address only federal cases.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2024
Justice Scalia’s statement was rarer still: a concurring opinion that agreed with the five-justice majority on the bottom line on the narrow question before the court but vehemently diverged from its reasoning.
—Adam Liptak, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024
With the Houston fair, Untitled will be the first fair in town, and that was part of the reasoning for looking there instead of other US cities that already have similar events, like Los Angeles or Chicago.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reasoning
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reasoning
Adjective
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If boys becoming men is different from boys trying to become women, then the Tennessee law draws a rational distinction.The Editors, National Review, 5 Dec. 2024
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In any rational universe, a player on the doorstep of 40 years old averaging 22.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game would be celebrated no matter what.Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Speaking of fake teeth, what was the logic in the Spider-Man movies of giving Norman Osborn, a.k.a.Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
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For me, the outcome of this case isn't a fun logic puzzle or casual bet to make among friends and watch from afar.Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The president-elect says Biden is responsible for the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, arguing that policies under his watch led to Hamas and Russia becoming emboldened.Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
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Nevertheless, Phelps remains resolute in his defense of the playoff format, arguing its fairness and noting its creation was heavily influenced by fan preferences.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Together, these advanced AI platforms democratize technological innovation, enabling employees to leverage intelligent tools without extensive technical expertise.Dean DeBiase, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
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The kids fall into familiar types: The rebellious and clever girl, Fern (Ryan Kiera Armstrong); the intelligent skeptic, KB (Kyriana Kratter); the adventurous boy lacking forethought, Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers); and the comic relief, alien Neel (Robert Timothy Smith).Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But that's the same reason, just schedule and money.Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 3 Dec. 2024
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Whatever the reasons, the net result was a very discouraging year in terms of the enrollment of traditional age college freshmen.Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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He was traded to a contending Philadelphia 76ers club led by the All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
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Their interest points to a possible bidding war between the two American League East rivals, as well as several other contending teams, for the 30-year-old right-hander.Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Nibert loved the free-thinking spirit of the village and its college.Keith BieryGolick, Cincinnati.com, 28 Aug. 2019
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Credit Gus Malzahn for being proactive and thinking long-term in choosing his starting quarterback.Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com, al, 22 Aug. 2019
Verb
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Officials are still deciding on the next steps, starting with a more inclusive process.Travis Loller, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
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Before deciding to play this game, ensure that your company is not only prepared to compete but is also equipped to be a valuable player in the investor’s portfolio.Cody Slach, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near reasoning
Cite this Entry
“Reasoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reasoning. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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