reason with

phrasal verb

reasoned with; reasoning with; reasons with

: to talk with (someone) in a sensible way in order to try to change that person's thoughts or behavior

They tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't listen.

Examples of reason with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Danny Ocean is appealing to the relatives of members of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela and police forces to try to reason with them and prevent further bloodshed. —

Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 31 July 2024 That said, there are some cultures—like Ancient Egyptian and other East African cultures—that use castor oil for these very reasons with positive results.2 Because castor oil is relatively safe when applied topically, there is little risk in experimenting with it for hair growth. —

Sherri Gordon, Health, 22 July 2024 Horror Movies Based on Real-Life Stories Carter, under the doll’s spell, begins murdering his family by stabbing his wife — an act that occurs offscreen as Lee attempts to reason with Ruth and protect Carter's daughter. —

Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 12 July 2024 This change was made for interpersonal reasons with mutual respect in our hearts. —

Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for reason with

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reason with.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.