rationalize
Make excuses for
To rationalize is to devise seemingly logical explanations for behavior or beliefs that are actually driven by emotion, self-interest, or irrational impulse: He rationalized his affair as saving his marriage.
The word implies self-deception—making excuses that sound reasonable but aren't the real reasons.
In British English and technical contexts, rationalize also means to reorganize for greater efficiency: The company rationalized its supply chain.
Provide adequate grounds for
- excuseOffered reason for wrongdoing
- defendProtect from harm
- vindicateClear of wrongdoing
- legitimizeMake lawful or valid
validate · warrant · account · argue · advocate · support · uphold · substantiate
Refusal to accept reality
- delusionStubbornly held false belief
- self-deceptionConvincing yourself of falsehoods
- projectionSomething that extends outward
- excuse-makingExplaining away fault
minimizing · deflection · avoidance · compartmentalize · distort · reframe · confabulation
Reach by reasoning
- analyzeStudy by breaking down
- logicScience of valid reasoning
- thinkingMental reasoning process
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
argument · syllogism · premise · conclusion · systematic · methodical · coherent · logical
Make less complex
- reorganizeArrange again differently
- restructureRearrange fundamental organization
- consolidateUnite separate things
- modernizeMake contemporary
automate · eliminate · refine · overhaul · integrate · workflow · trim · expedite
Fraction's bottom number
- fractionPart divided by whole
- simplifyMake less complex
- reduceMake smaller in degree
- convertChange in form or faith
expression · equation · surd · root · algebraic · mathematical · equivalent · radical
justify
Provide adequate grounds for
legitimize · validate · warrant · account · argue · advocate · support · uphold · substantiate · self-justify
denial
Refusal to accept reality
- delusionStubbornly held false belief
- self-deceptionConvincing yourself of falsehoods
- projectionSomething that extends outward
excuse-making · minimizing · deflection · avoidance · compartmentalize · distort · reframe · confabulation
deduce
Reach by reasoning
inference · argument · syllogism · premise · conclusion · systematic · methodical · coherent · logical · understand
simplify
Make less complex
- reorganizeArrange again differently
- restructureRearrange fundamental organization
- consolidateUnite separate things
modernize · automate · eliminate · refine · overhaul · integrate · workflow · trim · expedite · centralize
denominator
Fraction's bottom number
convert · expression · equation · surd · root · algebraic · mathematical · equivalent · radical · integer
- thinkingthinking, reasoning, thought, ponder, contemplate
- communicateexpress, convey, communicate, tell, share
- organizecategorize, classify, sort, arrange, group
- mental processesthinking, think, reasoning, cognition, pondering
- efficiencyoptimization, efficient, streamlining, effective, optimize
- reorganizationreorganize, restructure, reshuffle, rearrange, realign
rationalizeacknowledge
Confirm receipt or truth
admit · confront · own up to · recognize · see clearly
rationalizecomplicate
Make more difficult
expand · bloat · obscure · convolute · overelaborate
rationality, rationalism, irrationality, rationalist, rationalization, rationalizing, rationalized, rationalistic, rationalizes