noun
reason
REE-zuhn
noun
1
A cause or explanation for something; the motive behind an action.
"She never explained the reason for her sudden resignation."
"There's no good reason to be this rude to a stranger."
2
The ability to think logically and make judgments; rational thought.
"He appealed to her sense of reason rather than emotion."
verb
1
To think through something logically in order to reach a conclusion.
"She reasoned that the shortest route must also be the fastest."
"He tried to reason with the angry customer."
How to Use Reason
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the cause or explanation behind something, the general capacity for logical thought, or (as a verb) to work something out logically.
Common pairings
good reason
reason with someone
stand to reason
Word Forms
reasoned past tense, reasons plural, reasons plural, Reasons plural, reasons singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “reason”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She never explained the _____ for her sudden resignation.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman raisun (Old French raison), from Latin ratiō ("reckoning, account"), from reor, "to think" — a doublet of ratio and ration.