rational
adjective
, ˈra-shə-nᵊl\
Definition of rational
(Entry 1 of 2)
rational
nounDefinition of rational (Entry 2 of 2)
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Synonyms & Antonyms for rational
Synonyms: Adjective
intelligent, reasonable, reasoning, thinking
Antonyms: Adjective
irrational, nonrational, nonthinking, unintelligent, unreasonable, unreasoning, unthinking
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Examples of rational in a Sentence
Adjective
human beings are rational creatures insisted there was a rational explanation for the strange creaking noises and that there were no such things as ghostsRecent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Kim Jong-un has react -- has sort of acted in a rational and predictable way in sprinting towards obtaining nuclear weapons. — Fox News, "Sarah Smith aims to be the next Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," 1 Aug. 2018 What’s not clear is how many of these suicides involve clear-minded people exercising what Davis would call a rational choice. — Kaiser Health News, oregonlive.com, "Is rational suicide among elderly a sign of self-determination or depression?," 6 July 2019 What’s not clear is how many of these suicides involve clear-minded people exercising what Davis would call a rational choice. — Melissa Bailey, The Denver Post, "Some seniors weigh the idea of “rational suicide”," 23 June 2019 After four years of drowning in medical school debt and three years barely keeping afloat on a resident’s salary, the preference for becoming a specialist is entirely rational. — STAT, "We were inspired to become primary care physicians. Now we’re reconsidering a field in crisis," 20 June 2019 No rational person could believe my spouse can’t remember where envelopes are kept. — Belinda Luscombe, Marie Claire, "Your Partner's Annoying Habits Are Pushing You to the Edge—Here's How Not to Break Up," 21 May 2019 But that aside, the rational choice is to play the game. — Quanta Magazine, "Why the Many-Worlds Interpretation Has Many Problems," 18 Oct. 2018 The right kinds of perverse actions can be exhilarating to witness, particularly for those of us who tend to be more rational and well-behaved. — Paul Bloom, The New Yorker, "The Strange Appeal of Perverse Actions," 19 July 2019 Economists typically treat rational self-interest as the lodestar of human behaviour. — The Economist, "A society’s values and beliefs matter for its economy," 25 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rational.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for rational
rational
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of rational
See the full definition for rational in the English Language Learners Dictionary
rational
adjective
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Kids Definition of rational
rational
adjective
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