# rational vs rationale

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### rational
*adjective · IPA /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/ · frequency rank #6,511*
Capable of reasoning.

### rationale
*noun · IPA /ˌɹæʃ.əˈnɑːl/ · frequency rank #14,393*
An explanation of the basis or fundamental reasons for something.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/rational-vs-rationale