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Rational Definition

  • (noun) an integer or a fraction
  • (adjective) consistent with or based on or using reason;

Sentence Examples

There are different degrees of rational expectation.

[From Logic, Inductive and Deductive by Minto, William]

She knew she was not being quite rational.

People did not view the matter rationally.

On this subject they spoke very rationally.

Love isn’t rational.

[From The Trufflers A Story by Merwin, Samuel]

It is one more appeal for a rational religion without stating what the rational religion is.

[From What and Where is God? A Human Answer to the Deep Religious Cry of the Modern Soul by Swain, Richard La Rue]

Is this a possible and rational conception?

His answer was: No, and it was a crushing blow to rationalism.

He seems to be a rational and knowing man.

He is never less than acceptably rational.

For pity’s sake let’s try to be rational.’

Be rational now.

Rational belief.

Rational Behavior.

'Rational faith!'

"It was a sober and a rational jealousy."

Rational theology.

Rationalism is the mathematical theory of knowledge.

[From Systematic Theology (Volume 1 of 3) by Strong, Augustus Hopkins]

Rationalism judges correctly concerning the origin of the most important classes of ideas; empiricism concerning the sphere of their validity.

[From History of Modern Philosophy From Nicolas of Cusa to the Present Time by Armstrong, Andrew Campbell]

Rationalizing should not be styled the operation of tradition.

[From The Canon of the Bible by Davidson, Samuel]

Rationally I understood this perfectly, but I could not feel that there was imminent danger.

[From The Autobiography of a Journalist, Volume II by Stillman, William James]

All rational considerations are forgotten.

[From The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War by Churchill, Winston]

And it is believed by many that Rationalism is spreading at the present day, and will eventually become common among thoughtful men.

[From The Truth of Christianity Being an Examination of the More Important Arguments For and Against Believing in That Religion by Turton, W. H. (William Harry)]

Arnold as the rationalizing critic, rather than the sympathetic admirer of a medieval saint.

[From The Thirteenth, Greatest of Centuries by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)]

As a man, I ought to possess a cooler and more rationally balanced mind.

[From After the Storm by Arthur, T. S. (Timothy Shay)]

Before citing evidence, let us consider the subject from a rational point of view.


Endowed with rational ideas, pen in hand he can transmit them to his fellows far away, or to generations unborn.

[From The Christian Foundation, Or, Scientific and Religious Journal, April, 1880 by Walker, Aaron]

For he now became a friendly and rational companion.

[From Prester John by Buchan, John]

He rationalized that his reason for shutting the window was to shut out the world, which to him was a bad place.

[From An Apostate: Nawin of Thais by Sills, Steven David Justin]

He was a grave, quiet, rational man, not however devoid of some folly; as indeed what rational man is so devoid?

[From Orley Farm by Trollope, Anthony]

Helen was to marry rationally, with open eyes, a man who was her friend.

I believe the explanation rests on the fact that our common American way of eating nuts is not the rational way.

[From Northern Nut Growers Report of the Proceedings at the Twenty-First Annual Meeting Cedar Rapids, Iowa, September 17, 18, and 19, 1930 by Northern Nut Growers Association]

I hate a man that can't keep rational hours like other people!

If she had introduced you to me in a rational way, I should never have gone on so.

In this rational grammar of the art of oratory, I have given the rules of all the fine arts.

[From Delsarte System of Oratory by Alger, Abby Langdon]

It was not, in his view, a rational principle, but it was a natural and beneficial delusion.

[From Life of Adam Smith by Rae, John]

Joel's simplicity and frankness vanished, and with them his rationality.

[From Wildfire by Grey, Zane]

Law thus adapts the universe to be the residence of rational beings, and nothing else could.

[From Facts and fancies in modern science Studies of the relations of science to prevalent speculations and religious belief by Dawson, John William, Sir]

Man is many things, but he is not rational.

[From The Picture of Dorian Gray by Wilde, Oscar]

No rational intercourse with one to whom I had yielded up my heart so confidingly.

No rational man can doubt that he took this course in order to gratify the Governor-General.

[From Critical, Historical, and Miscellaneous Essays; Vol. (5 of 6) With a Memoir and Index by Macaulay, Thomas Babbington]

Popularity is his only rational and sure foundation.

[From Letters to His Son, 1752 On the Fine Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman by Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of]

The Rational View.

The rationality and philosophical truth of the mind-cure systems appeared to me irrefutable.

[From The Problems of Psychical Research Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the Supernormal by Carrington, Hereward]

The animal does rational things without an exercise of reason.

[From Ways of Nature by Burroughs, John]

The attitude is neither dignified nor even rational.

The causes of things fall under natural philosophy, arguments under rational, and actions under moral.

[From Seneca's Morals of a Happy Life, Benefits, Anger and Clemency by Seneca, Lucius Annaeus]

The deviations from "rational behavior" are not the wonderful cornucopia of human motivations you might imagine.

[From The Public Domain: Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by Boyle, James]

The organization which assures unity of the combatants should be better thought out and more rational.

[From Battle Studies; Ancient and Modern Battle by Ardant du Picq, Charles Jean Jacques Joseph]

The theology of the Deistic age is identical with Rationalism.

[From History of Rationalism Embracing a Survey of the Present State of Protestant Theology by Hurst, J. F. (John Fletcher)]

Therefore, by the laws of rational magic, it is you to whom nothing is impossible.

[From The Sky Is Falling by Del Rey, Lester]

They stand above Rationalism, but not opposed to it.


Vincent's sagacity and temper to insure the adoption of a more rational and vigorous system.

[From The Influence of sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire 1793-1812, vol I by Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer)]

We might as rationally maintain that a sane man has a right to believe that two and two do not make four, as this theory of religious liberty.

[From The International Monthly, Volume 4, No. 4, November 1, 1851 by Various]

You've always been rational and analytical, old man.

[From The Cuckoo Clock by Barefoot, Wesley]

"His suspicions aren't rational."

"I trust I have more rational views—thanks to my good parents!"

As a philosopher he was one of the most brilliant exponents of modern rationalism.

[From A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year. Volume 2 (of 3) by Emerson, Edwin]

Finally the reaction came for something more simple and more in harmony with rational taste.

[From Royal Palaces and Parks of France by Mansfield, M. F. (Milburg Francisco)]

If rationalism meant being rational (which it hardly ever does) he might at every stage of his life be called a red-hot rationalist.

[From A History of the United States by Chesterton, Cecil]

In the case of Aristotle the ideal of rationality was conceived to determine the course of the cosmical evolution as its immanent final cause.

[From The Approach to Philosophy by Perry, Ralph Barton]

"Now, sir, if there be any rational solution of all this absurdity, I shall be very much obliged to you for a small glimmering of information."

[From Nightmare Abbey by Peacock, Thomas Love]

So we consider ourselves to be rational beings and guess that the bolides come from Jupiter!

[From Creatures of the Abyss by Leinster, Murray]

The rational spirit cannot for an instant rid itself of the idea of God.

[From Sermons to the Natural Man by Shedd, William G. T. (William Greenough Thayer)]

The library served, as usual, as drawing-room,—a very rational and agreeable plan.

The new school of historico-critical rationalism availed itself of every aid in the direction of scientific investigation.

They believe that we have two souls, one rational, the other irrational.

[From Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4 In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods by Guthrie, Kenneth Sylvan]

The soul is partly irrational, partly rational; and therefore there are two kinds of virtue.

This is not a war like other wars, with rational enemies; it is a hunt of wild beasts. . . .

[From The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Jordan, Charlotte Brewster]

Upon the common ground of rationalism and realism, Plato and Aristotle are complementary in temper, method, and principle.