rationalization
noun
ra·tio·nal·i·za·tion
ˌrash-nə-lə-ˈzā-shən 
ˌra-shə-nə-lə-
plural rationalizations
: the act, process, or result of rationalizing : a way of describing, interpreting, or explaining something (such as bad behavior) that makes it seem proper, more attractive, etc.
They're masters of high-speed sophistry and self-serving rationalizations, and they threaten one another as if the power of threats lies mainly in how elegantly expressed they are …—
Nitsuh Abebe
Nitsuh AbebeBut that's a convenient rationalization that removes from the rest of us the onus for doing the right thing even when the wrong thing is alluring and nobody would blame you for it.—Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Leonard Pitts, Jr.People rationalize what they shun or are incapable of dealing with; these superstitions and their rationalizations become ritual as they govern behavior.—Ralph Ellison
Ralph EllisonImportantly, these perceptions of victimhood were automatic and effortless, not belabored rationalizations.—Kurt Gray and Chelsea Schein
Kurt Gray and Chelsea ScheinExamples of rationalization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Our brains are, famously, self-justification machines, so if climate imperatives can eventually push us to eat less meat, that might start to shift values in favor of animal rights, as people no longer need to search for rationalizations for eating factory farmed animals.
—Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 Aug. 2024
The obvious rationalization here is that plenty of colleges and universities do have their own police forces with full peace officer status.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2024
The book is about a love story, but Lily’s rationalization of her abusive surroundings, combined with the book and its subsequent sequel’s focus on romance, means the novel often has an incongruous tone.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2024
This bit of Cold War history should serve as a reminder: a nation that is simultaneously idealistic and realistic will always struggle to reconcile rationales and rationalizations of purpose, on the one hand, with realities of power, on the other.
—Graham Allison, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2020
See all Example Sentences for rationalization 
Marina Bolotnikova, Vox, 7 Aug. 2024
The obvious rationalization here is that plenty of colleges and universities do have their own police forces with full peace officer status.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2024
The book is about a love story, but Lily’s rationalization of her abusive surroundings, combined with the book and its subsequent sequel’s focus on romance, means the novel often has an incongruous tone.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2024
This bit of Cold War history should serve as a reminder: a nation that is simultaneously idealistic and realistic will always struggle to reconcile rationales and rationalizations of purpose, on the one hand, with realities of power, on the other.
—Graham Allison, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2020
See all Example Sentences for rationalization
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rationalization.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rationalization
Cite this Entry
“Rationalization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rationalization. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
rationalization
noun
ra·tio·nal·iza·tion
variants
also British rationalisation
: the act, process, or result of rationalizing
especially
: the provision of plausible reasons to explain to oneself or others behavior for which one's real motives are different and unknown or unconscious
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