rationalera‧tio‧nale /ˌræʃəˈnɑːl $ -ˈnæl/ ●○○ noun [countable usually singular] 
Word Origin
The rationale behind the changes is not at all evident. The rationale for using this teaching method is to encourage student confidence.► see thesaurus at reason
Word OriginWORD ORIGINrationale
ExamplesOrigin:
1600-1700 Modern Latin, Latin rationalis; ➔ RATIONALEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- If you do not understand the rationale behind any action you are asked to take, be sure to find out.
- In the document he explains the rationale for his plan to build a car for the African market.
- It provides the leaders of an organization with a convenient rationale for their hidebound maintenance-oriented policies.
- Paul also rejected the rationale of both the offender and the offended.
- The rationale for engagement is different in each case.
- The political rationale is not clear.
- The recommendations of Project 2000 should be read in full in order to appreciate the rationale behind them.
- These arguments suggest that it may be possible to provide a rationale for an industrial policy to subsidize sunrise industries.
- To adopt an approach akin to that used in the United States would be fundamentally to alter the rationale for judicial review.
- While the number of levels has endured, the rationale turned out to be unsustainable.
THESAURUS► reason
Collocations why something happens, or why someone does something: · What was the reason for the delay?· I don’t know the reason why he left his last job.
► cause the reason why something happens, especially something bad: · What was the cause of his death?· We studied the causes of the First World War.
► explanation a set of reasons that helps you to understand why something happens, especially when it seems difficult to understand: · There are various possible explanations for climate change.· Is there any explanation for his behavior?
► motive a reason that makes someone decide to do something – often used about crimes: · Police say that there is no obvious motive for the attack.
► justification a good reason for doing something that seems wrong: · There is never any justification for torture or abuse.· They try to use the situation in the Middle East as a justification for killing innocent civilians.· There’s no justification for this type of behaviour.
► grounds a reason that makes it right or fair to do something, especially according to legal, official, or moral rules: · The court will decide if she has grounds for divorce.· They claim the war is justified on moral grounds (=because of moral reasons).
► basis the main ideas or reasons on which something is based: · The doctor makes his decisions purely on the basis of clinical observation.· What do you think is the basis for this advice?
► rationale formal a set of reasons that are used to explain why someone does something in a particular way: · the rationale behind the government’s economic reforms· This chapter explains the nature of yearly plans, and provides a rationale for their use.
Longman Language Activatorwhy something is right or should be done► reason: reason (why/that) · The reason why we need these laws is to protect children from violent adults.reason to do something · I can think of lots of reasons to get married.· You may be dissatisfied, but is that sufficient reason to resign?have every reason to do something (=to have very good reasons for doing something) · We have every reason to believe he is guilty.with good reason (=when it is right or fair that someone does something) · The school is proud of its record, and with good reason.
► argument one of the reasons that someone uses to try to persuade someone to agree with them: argument that: · Do you agree with the argument that violence on TV makes people behave violently?argument for/against (=a reason why something should or should not be done): · What are the arguments for the legalization of cannabis?· The main argument against smoking is that it's bad for your health.
► justification a good reason for doing something that seems wrong: · She had her residence permit taken away, without any justificationjustification for: · There's no justification for cruelty.justification for doing something: · What justification can there be for paying women lower wages?
► grounds the reason that makes it right or fair for someone to do something - use this especially in legal or official contexts: grounds for: · Is mental cruelty sufficient grounds for divorce?on the grounds of something (=for this reason): · He had been fired from his job on the grounds of incompetence.· On what grounds are you claiming compensation?on the grounds that: · She was prohibited from speaking to the students on the grounds that it would stir up trouble.
► cause a strong reason that makes you think you are right to feel or behave in a particular way: cause to do something: · I've never had any cause to complain about my doctor.with good/just cause formal: · He no longer loved her, and with just cause, because she had betrayed him.without good/just cause formal: · We have little sympathy for people who leave their jobs without just cause.cause for complaint/alarm/concern etc: · The child's behaviour is giving us cause for concern.· There is no cause for alarm about the safety of drinking water.
► rationale formal the reason or series of reasons that someone has used to support a plan, suggestion, change etc: rationale for/behind: · In the document he explains the rationale for his plan to build a car for the African market.· If you do not understand the rationale behind any action you are asked to take, be sure to find out.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► economic
Word family· The economic rationale, in terms of economic efficiency, was agreed in terms of increasing competitiveness, rather than the change of ownership.· There was nothing new about this economic rationale for federal involvement in urban programs.· It then explores the economic rationale for the voluntary sector.· Sometimes the tie was purely economic in rationale.
VERB► explain· It took up most of my time talking and explaining my rationale to people.
► offer· Finally, it offers a rationale for a further round of world trade negotiations.
► provide· These arguments suggest that it may be possible to provide a rationale for an industrial policy to subsidize sunrise industries.· Television scarcity, compared to print, no longer provides a rationale to regulate electronic media while letting newspapers and magazines alone.· In the chapters of this part of the book I have sought to provide a rationale for such an approach.· Nor does it provide a rationale for people with questionable motives to vent their hostilities or express their idiosyncrasies.· Beveridge provided a rationale based on concepts of national efficiency, rationality and the rights of citizenship.· They were a necessary nuisance that provided the rationale for what Bureau men really loved to do: build majestic dams.· This provides a rationale for recognising flat-lying thrust slices and mapping them in the subsurface.· This background provides the rationale of naturopathy, or nature cure, and other sensible, healthy dietary regimes.
WORD FAMILYnounrationality ≠ irrationalityrationalerationalismrationalistrationalizationadjectiverational ≠ irrationalrationalistverbrationalizeadverbrationally ≠ irrationally
formal the reasons for a decision, belief etcrationale behind/for/of The rationale behind the changes is not at all evident. The rationale for using this teaching method is to encourage student confidence.► see thesaurus at reason