Rationalization
noun
The process of making something more efficient by reorganizing it.
The company underwent a major rationalization to increase its profitability.
Often appears as...
- major rationalization
- corporate rationalization
Usage tips
Technical
noun
The action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
He made a flimsy rationalization for his rudeness.
Often appears as...
- flimsy rationalization
- psychological rationalization
noun
In math, the process of removing the square roots or imaginary numbers.
Rationalization of the denominator is common in algebraic expressions.
Often appears as...
- rationalization of denominator
- rationalization in algebra
Usage tips
Academic
noun
The process of making something more efficient by reorganizing it.
The company underwent a major rationalization to increase its profitability.
Often appears as...
- major rationalization
- corporate rationalization
Usage tips
Technical
noun
The action of attempting to explain or justify behavior or an attitude with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
He made a flimsy rationalization for his rudeness.
Often appears as...
- flimsy rationalization
- psychological rationalization
noun
In math, the process of removing the square roots or imaginary numbers.
Rationalization of the denominator is common in algebraic expressions.
Often appears as...
- rationalization of denominator
- rationalization in algebra
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Business Context
Used to describe strategies that make companies work better.
After the merger, a rationalization of the two companies' roles was necessary.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Positive
It can imply job losses when companies aim to cut costs.
The workers feared rationalization would lead to layoffs.
Pro Tip 3/3Overarching Changes
Refers to comprehensive and large-scale changes in an organization.
The CEO announced a complete rationalization of the operational processes.
Pro Tip 1/3Business Context
Used to describe strategies that make companies work better.
After the merger, a rationalization of the two companies' roles was necessary.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Positive
It can imply job losses when companies aim to cut costs.
The workers feared rationalization would lead to layoffs.
Pro Tip 3/3Overarching Changes
Refers to comprehensive and large-scale changes in an organization.
The CEO announced a complete rationalization of the operational processes.
Pro Tip 1/3Business Context
Used to describe strategies that make companies work better.
After the merger, a rationalization of the two companies' roles was necessary.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Positive
It can imply job losses when companies aim to cut costs.
The workers feared rationalization would lead to layoffs.
Pro Tip 3/3Overarching Changes
Refers to comprehensive and large-scale changes in an organization.
The CEO announced a complete rationalization of the operational processes.
Compare with
excuseexplanationinterpretjustificationrationalityreasonreorganizesimplificationsystematization
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Video examples
How people rationalize...
pressure, opportunity, and rationalization. Pressure is often what motivates someone to engage in fraud to begin with. It could be a personal debt, an addiction, an earnings quota, a sudden job loss, or an illness in the family.
Video examples
How to see past your own...
But actually, I think it's a bit of self-serving rationalization disguised as philosophy. It confuses the difficulty of being certain with the impossibility of truth.
Video examples
Adam Nicolson: The King...
rationalization 19th century fancy-dress effectively 20th century boredom 20th century translations aim not to embody any of these these kind of great ideas
Video examples
How people rationalize...
pressure, opportunity, and rationalization. Pressure is often what motivates someone to engage in fraud to begin with. It could be a personal debt, an addiction, an earnings quota, a sudden job loss, or an illness in the family.
Video examples
How to see past your own...
But actually, I think it's a bit of self-serving rationalization disguised as philosophy. It confuses the difficulty of being certain with the impossibility of truth.
Video examples
Adam Nicolson: The King...
rationalization 19th century fancy-dress effectively 20th century boredom 20th century translations aim not to embody any of these these kind of great ideas
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Gregory Maguire
American Novelist
I write because I admire the act of rationalization, of seeking clarity in one's understanding of the complexities of life, and I'm bad at it. I'm slow. Writing, which is an arduous and slow process, proceeds at the same rate as my sloth-like mind.
Quote examples
Khloe Kardashian
American Entertainer
I don't think because I hang out with enough black people, I'm gonna turn black. What kind of rationalization is that? I'm just friends with people that I like. I don't care what skin color you are.
Quote examples
Alysia Reiner
American Actress
I think, to me, I was always taught you never approach any character as a villain. Every human being on earth really believes that they're doing the best thing. We all have our rationalizations.
Quote examples
John McCarthy
American Politician
Proposals to forbid golf courses have about the same motivations as proposals to forbid skate boarding, although the rationalizations are different.
Quote examples
James Wolk
American Actor
Even when we see somebody incredibly evil, there's a rationalization behind what they're doing. They're at their best when they're at the moment.
Quote examples
Max Weber
German Economist
The fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the disenchantment of the world.
Quote examples
Freda Adler
American Educator
Stripped of ethical rationalizations and philosophical pretensions, a crime is anything that a group in power chooses to prohibit.
Quote examples
Max Lerner
American Journalist
The so-called lessons of history are for the most part the rationalizations of the victors. History is written by the survivors.
Quote examples
John Bytheway
American Author
Curiosity, rationalization, and laziness are no match against courage, self-control, and mental toughness.
Quote examples
Eliezer Yudkowsky
American Writer
To be clever in argument is not rationality but rationalization.
Quote examples
Gregory Maguire
American Novelist
I write because I admire the act of rationalization, of seeking clarity in one's understanding of the complexities of life, and I'm bad at it. I'm slow. Writing, which is an arduous and slow process, proceeds at the same rate as my sloth-like mind.
Quote examples
Khloe Kardashian
American Entertainer
I don't think because I hang out with enough black people, I'm gonna turn black. What kind of rationalization is that? I'm just friends with people that I like. I don't care what skin color you are.
Quote examples
Alysia Reiner
American Actress
I think, to me, I was always taught you never approach any character as a villain. Every human being on earth really believes that they're doing the best thing. We all have our rationalizations.
Quote examples
John McCarthy
American Politician
Proposals to forbid golf courses have about the same motivations as proposals to forbid skate boarding, although the rationalizations are different.
Quote examples
James Wolk
American Actor
Even when we see somebody incredibly evil, there's a rationalization behind what they're doing. They're at their best when they're at the moment.
Quote examples
Max Weber
German Economist
The fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the disenchantment of the world.
Quote examples
Freda Adler
American Educator
Stripped of ethical rationalizations and philosophical pretensions, a crime is anything that a group in power chooses to prohibit.
Quote examples
Max Lerner
American Journalist
The so-called lessons of history are for the most part the rationalizations of the victors. History is written by the survivors.
Quote examples
John Bytheway
American Author
Curiosity, rationalization, and laziness are no match against courage, self-control, and mental toughness.
Quote examples
Eliezer Yudkowsky
American Writer
To be clever in argument is not rationality but rationalization.
Example 1 of 10
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