rationalize
/ˈɹæʃənəlaɪz/verb
rationalize is spelled R-A-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-Z-E: 11 letters and 4 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,236th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, rationalize means “To make something rational or more rational” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in rationalize?
| Letters | 11: R-A-T-I-O-N-A-L-I-Z-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 33,236th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is rationalize?
Rationalize appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 33,236th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce rationalize?
- US /ˈɹæʃənəlaɪz/
Rationalize has 4 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-rationalize.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with rationalize?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as rationalize from its last stressed vowel (/æʃənəlaɪz/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: realization.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of rationalize
- rationalizes present, singular, he/she/it
- rationalizing participle, present
- rationalized participle, past
- rationalise
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does rationalize mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
BritishUSTo make something rational or more rational.
- 2
BritishUSTo justify a discreditable act, or irrational behaviour.
- 3
BritishUSTo remove radicals, without changing the value of an expression or the roots of an equation.
- 4
BritishUSTo structure something along modern, efficient and systematic lines, or according to scientific principles. This often includes eliminating duplication and grouping like or similar items.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Rationalize in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | rationaliser |
| German | rationalisieren , rationalisieren (psych.), rechtfertigen, schönreden |
| Spanish | racionalizar |
| Portuguese | racionalizar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does rationalize come from?
From French rationaliser. By surface analysis, rational + -ize.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).