rationalize

Meanings

• defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
  • "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"
  • "he rationalized his lack of success"
• weed out unwanted or unnecessary things
• structure and run according to rational or scientific principles in order to achieve desired results
  • "We rationalized the factory's production and raised profits"
• think rationally; employ logic or reason
  • "When one wonders why one is doing certain things, one should rationalize"
• remove irrational quantities from
  • "This function can be rationalized"

Synonyms

apologise, apologize, cut, excuse, justify, prune, rationalise