1
as in explanation
a statement given to explain a belief or act
she gave a good reason for her seemingly suspicious behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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?
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in cause
someone or something responsible for a result
what's the meteorological reason for tornadoes?
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reason
Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
Early reactions to the live-action remake note the film's inclusion of iconic original moments as a key reason for its success.
—Sharareh Drury, People.com, 26 May 2025
Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 19 May 2025
Rogers was later convicted of Cribbs' and Gallagher's murders but prosecutors didn't pursue him in Louisiana or Mississippi, reasoning at the time that he was being tried in the death penalty state of Florida and that justice was being served.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Noun
President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth repeatedly point to Trump's election as a reason for the recruiting rebound.
—Arkansas Online, 26 May 2025
Early reactions to the live-action remake note the film's inclusion of iconic original moments as a key reason for its success.
—Sharareh Drury, People.com, 26 May 2025
Verb
Huang talked about Isaac Groot N1 (announced in March), which is a foundational model for robotics that gives humanoid robots the ability to reason, plan, and perceive their surroundings.
—Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 19 May 2025
Rogers was later convicted of Cribbs' and Gallagher's murders but prosecutors didn't pursue him in Louisiana or Mississippi, reasoning at the time that he was being tried in the death penalty state of Florida and that justice was being served.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reason
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reason
Noun
-
The new study, published this month in Psychological Science, offers one explanation about this phenomenon.—
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
-
There was little immediate public explanation or detail from the White House in the aftermath of Trump’s dramatic escalation.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
Noun
-
Authorities are still working to figure out a motive for the five musicians’ killings, according to the AP and BBC.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
30 May 2025
-
Other motives may include growing followers, harvesting affirmation and deliberately sowing confusion.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
And what is a podcast, after all, if not an excuse to hang out with people who seem cool?—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
28 May 2025
-
Wednesday, May 28, is National Hamburger Day, giving burger chains an excuse to offer their customers some deals.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
People who believe in a supernatural cause for AGI are bound to ask life-changing questions of AGI and take the responses as a form of absolute truth.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
-
The cause of Coulam’s death is under investigation.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
Fears that the Wrigley video board would overwhelm the senses and make the center field scoreboard seem obsolete have mostly been allayed over the last decade.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
-
While questions over mentality will be assessed, players’ physical levels showed a marked improvement, offering a sense of vindication for the coaching staff.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
With January’s trauma still fresh in the minds of many, Verdery said the group is focused on rebuilding with an eye toward safety and resilience.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
29 May 2025
-
The thought of sitting out spring practices never crossed star running back Kyren Williams’ mind, despite an ongoing contract negotiation between his representatives and the Los Angeles Rams.—
Jourdan Rodrigue,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
The justices in the majority did not explain their reasoning.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
-
The Supreme Court’s majority did not provide any reasoning for their decision to let the Trump administration move forward with the deportations.—
Alison Durkee,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
Both Wong and Barratt understand the assignments here.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
30 May 2025
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This includes understanding existing skills, power structures, decision-making processes, and how change has been received historically.—
Andrew Mawson,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reason.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reason. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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