reason

Meanings

• a rational motive for a belief or action
  • "the reason that war was declared"
• an explanation of the cause of some phenomenon
  • "the reason a steady state was never reached was that the back pressure built up too slowly"
• the capacity for rational thought or inference or discrimination
  • "we are told that man is endowed with reason and capable of distinguishing good from evil"
• the state of having good sense and sound judgment
  • "he had to rely less on reason than on rousing their emotions"
• a justification for something existing or happening
  • "they had good reason to rejoice"
• a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion
  • "there is reason to believe he is lying"
• decide by reasoning; draw or come to a conclusion
  • "We reasoned that it was cheaper to rent than to buy a house"
• present reasons and arguments
• think logically
  • "The children must learn to reason"

Synonyms

argue, cause, conclude, ground, grounds, intellect, rationality, reason out, reasonableness, understanding