rationalize

English

Alternative forms

• rationalise (non-Oxford British English)

Etymology

From French rationaliser. By surface analysis, rational +‎ -ize.

Verb

rationalize (third-person singular simple present rationalizes, present participle rationalizing, simple past and past participle rationalized) (American spelling, Oxford British English)

1. To make something rational or more rational.
3. To justify a discreditable act, or irrational behaviour.
   • 1987, “Exhuming McCarthy”, in Document (R.E.M. No. 5), performed by R.E.M.:

     Vested interest, united ties, / landed gentry, rationalize. / Look who bought the myth. / By jingo, buy America.

4. (mathematics) To remove radicals, without changing the value of an expression or the roots of an equation.
5. To structure something along modern, efficient and systematic lines, or according to scientific principles. This often includes eliminating duplication and grouping like or similar items.

Hyponyms

• euhemerize (myth & popular beliefs)

Derived terms

• rationalization, rationalisation

Translations

to make something rational

• Albanian: arësyetoj
• Catalan: racionalitzar (ca)
• Finnish: järkiperäistää, rationalisoida, järkevöittää
• French: rationaliser (fr)
• German: rationalisieren (de)
• Hungarian: észszerűsít (hu), racionalizál (hu)
• Russian: рационализи́ровать (ru) impf or pf (racionalizírovatʹ)
• Spanish: racionalizar (es)
• Tagalog: isamatwid

to justify negative behaviour

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: rationaalistaa (fi), älyllistää
• French: rationaliser (fr)
• German: rationalisieren (de) (psych.), rechtfertigen (de), schönreden (de)
• Hungarian: megideologizál (hu)
• Russian: please add this translation if you can
• Slovak: racionalizovať
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can

math: to remove radicals

• Catalan: racionalitzar (ca)
• Finnish: rationaalistaa (fi)
• Spanish: racionalizar (es)

to structure along systematic lines

• Finnish: järkeistää (fi), rationalisoida

Anagrams

• erizational, realization

French

Pronunciation

• Homophones: rationalisent, rationalises

Verb

rationalize

1. inflection of rationaliser:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative