Rationalize means to justify by developing a rationale, or a set of reasons for something. You could rationalize cutting school, saying your classes are boring, but you are still doing what you shouldn't …

Apr 20, 2013 · The meaning of RATIONALIZE is to bring into accord with reason or cause something to seem reasonable. How to use rationalize in a sentence.

RATIONALIZE definition: 1. to try to find reasons to explain your behaviour, decisions, etc.: 2. to make a company, way of…. Learn more.

If you try to rationalize attitudes or actions that are difficult to accept, you think of reasons to justify or explain them. He further rationalized his activity by convincing himself that he was actually promoting …

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).

Definition of rationalize verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. [transitive, intransitive] rationalize (something) to find or try to find a logical reason to explain why somebody thinks, …

Jan 14, 2026 · Verb rationalize (third-person singular simple present rationalizes, present participle rationalizing, simple past and past participle rationalized) (American spelling, Oxford British English) …

to make (a system) agree with or work according to reason:[~ + object] to rationalize the payroll system. ra•tion•al•i•za•tion /ˌræʃənəlɪˈzeɪʃən, ˌræʃnəl-/ n. [countable * uncountable]See -ratio-.

Rationalize means to justify by developing a rationale, or a set of reasons for something. You could rationalize cutting school, saying your classes are boring, but you are still doing what you shouldn't …

To make rational; make conform to reason. To explain or interpret on rational grounds. To dismiss or minimize the significance of (something) by means of an explanation or excuse.