rationalize
/'ræʃnəlaiz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive):
- To make something more logical, efficient, or based on reason: To reorganize a process, system, or structure to eliminate waste or inefficiency, often using scientific or logical principles.
- To justify one's behavior or attitudes with logical-sounding reasons, even if these are not the true motives: To attempt to explain or defend actions, feelings, or beliefs with plausible reasons, often to oneself, to make them seem reasonable or acceptable.
- To eliminate irrational elements from a mathematical expression: To remove radicals (like square roots) from the denominator of a fraction.
Verb (intransitive):
- To think or argue in a logical, reason-based manner: To employ rational thinking.
Usage and Examples
Transitive Verb (Reorganize for efficiency):
- The company needed to rationalize its supply chain to reduce costs.
- They rationalized the manufacturing process, which increased output by 20%.
Transitive Verb (Justify with plausible reasons):
- He tried to rationalize eating the whole cake by saying he needed the energy.
- She rationalized her impulsive purchase as an investment in her happiness.
Transitive Verb (Mathematics):
- To solve the equation, you must first rationalize the denominator.
- The expression √2/2 is already rationalized.
Intransitive Verb (Think rationally):
- Instead of panicking, we need to stop and rationalize.
- When faced with complex problems, it's important to rationalize carefully.
Advanced Usage
- Psychological Defense Mechanism: In psychology, "to rationalize" specifically refers to a defense mechanism where controversial behaviors or feelings are justified logically to avoid the true explanation.
- After forgetting the anniversary, he rationalized his mistake by claiming he was focused on an important work project.
Variants and Related Words
Rationalization (noun): The process or result of rationalizing.
- The rationalization of the industry led to many job losses.
- His explanation was a weak rationalization for his rude behavior.
Rational (adjective): Based on or in accordance with reason or logic.
- It was a rational decision based on the available data.
Synonyms
- Justify: To show or prove to be right or reasonable.
- Reorganize: To change the way in which something is organized or done.
- Explain away: To minimize the significance of something by explanation.
- Streamline: To make (an organization or system) more efficient and effective by employing faster or simpler working methods.
Phrasal Verbs / Common Constructions
- Rationalize away: To dismiss or minimize something through rationalization.
- He tried to rationalize away his feelings of guilt.
Related Idioms
- No idiom is directly and exclusively formed with the verb "rationalize." However, the concept is central to phrases like:
- "A rationalization after the fact": An explanation invented to justify an action after it has occurred.
Verb
- remove irrational quantities from
- This function can be rationalized
- think rationally; employ logic or reason
- When one wonders why one is doing certain things, one should rationalize
- structure and run according to rational or scientific principles in order to achieve desired results
- We rationalized the factory's production and raised profits
- weed out unwanted or unnecessary things
- We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet
- defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
- rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior
- he rationalized his lack of success