reason
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.the cause of an event or the explanation for why someone does something.
n.a cause, explanation, or justification for an action, event, or belief.
Simple“The main reason for the meeting was to discuss the new budget.”
In context“The primary reason for the sudden policy shift remained unclear, despite several attempts by the press to elicit a formal explanation from the spokesperson.”
PitfallThe reason of the delay was the rain. The reason for the delay was the rain.Use the preposition 'for' after 'reason' when introducing the cause of something.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the power of the mind to think, understand, and form opinions logically.
n.the intellectual faculty that allows for rational thought, judgment, and the drawing of logical conclusions.
Simple“We need to use reason rather than emotion to solve this problem.”
In context“The philosopher argued that human reason is the only reliable tool for navigating complex ethical dilemmas in a secular society.”
SynonymsAntonymsmadnessunreason - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to think about something in a logical way to find an answer or make a decision.
v.to use the power of the mind to think and form judgments, typically through a process of deduction or induction.
Simple“She reasoned that if the lights were on, someone must be home.”
In context“The investigators reasoned from the available forensic evidence that the fire must have started in the basement due to faulty wiring.”
UsageOften used as an intransitive verb followed by 'that' or 'from'.
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to talk to someone to try and change their mind using logic.
v.to persuade or influence someone by using logical argument or evidence.
Simple“I tried to reason with him, but he refused to listen to my advice.”
In context“The diplomat attempted to reason with the rebel leaders, hoping to secure a ceasefire before the humanitarian crisis worsened.”
UsageTypically used with the preposition 'with'.
reason vs cause — A reason is the motive or justification for a human action, while a cause is the physical force that produces a specific result.
Usage reason to believe · reason some people · reason to think
From Middle English resoun, reson, from Anglo-Norman raisun (Old French raison), from Latin ratiō, from ratus, past participle of reor (“reckon”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂reh₁- (“to think”), reanalysed root of h₂er- (“to put together”). Displaced native Middle English reden (found in compounds), from Old English rǣden (“condition, stipulation, calculation, direction”), from the same Proto-Indo-European source (compare West Frisian reden (“reason”), Dutch reden (“reason”)). Doublet of ration and ratio.
From Middle English reason, reson, resen, rasen, from Old English ræsn (“beam, rafter, ceiling, wall panel”), probably from Proto-West Germanic raʀn (“house”), from Proto-Germanic razną (“house, dwelling”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁erh₁- (“to rest”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.