reason
A1All registers, from formal to informal.
Definition
Meaning
A cause, explanation, or justification for an action, event, or belief.
The mental capacity for logical, rational thought; sound judgement; a premise in an argument; to think logically and draw conclusions.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Holds three main senses: 1) a cause or justification (noun), 2) the faculty of logical thought (noun), 3) the process of thinking logically (verb). The verb sense is more formal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The verb 'to reason' is equally common and formal in both varieties. UK English slightly more likely to use 'reason' as a countable noun (e.g., 'for this reason').
Connotations
Neutral in both. Slightly formal for the verb sense.
Frequency
Extremely high and similar frequency in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reason (that)...reason why...reason for (doing) somethingreason with someonereason something outVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It stands to reason”
- “within reason”
- “listen to reason”
- “rhyme or reason”
- “by reason of”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to justify decisions, strategies, or outcomes (e.g., 'The reason for the merger is market expansion').
Academic
Central to constructing arguments, stating hypotheses, and explaining phenomena logically.
Everyday
Ubiquitous for explaining motives or causes (e.g., 'What's the reason you're late?').
Technical
In logic/philosophy, refers to a premise or the faculty of rationality; in computing, can refer to an error code explanation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need to reason this through properly.
- She reasoned that the train would be quicker.
American English
- Let me reason this out step by step.
- He reasoned it was better to wait.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; 'reasonably' is used) He acted reasonably.
American English
- (Not standard; 'reasonably' is used) She reasoned it out reasonably well.
adjective
British English
- (As participle) A well-reasoned argument.
- (Rare) She is a reasoning being.
American English
- (As participle) His reasoning process was flawed.
- (Rare) The reasoning faculty.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The reason I'm happy is my birthday.
- She left early for a reason.
- What is your reason?
- The main reason for the delay was bad weather.
- He couldn't give a good reason for his actions.
- Use your reason to solve the problem.
- We reasoned that starting early would avoid the traffic.
- There's no compelling reason to change the plan now.
- Her argument was logical and well-reasoned.
- By reason of his seniority, he was given the project lead.
- Philosophers have long debated the limits of human reason.
- The judge's reasoning was outlined in a fifty-page document.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: To have a REASON is to have the 'season' for doing something. You need a REAson for your action, just as you need a SEAson for specific weather.
Conceptual Metaphor
REASON IS A PATH (e.g., 'line of reasoning', 'follow an argument'), REASON IS LIGHT (e.g., 'see the reason', 'enlightened'), REASON IS A FORCE (e.g., 'compelling reason').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'reason' as a direct translation for 'повод' (use 'occasion') or 'причина' is correct for 'cause'.
- The verb 'to reason' is not 'рассуждать' in all contexts; it's more formal/logical.
- The phrase 'for no reason' is idiomatic and does not translate directly as 'без причины' in all emotional contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'cause' and 'reason' interchangeably without preposition: 'The reason of his absence' (incorrect) vs. 'The reason for his absence' (correct).
- Redundancy: 'The reason why... is because...' (informal) is often corrected to 'The reason... is that...'.
- Incorrect verb pattern: 'I reasoned him to stop' (incorrect) vs. 'I reasoned with him to stop' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'reason' as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'cause' is the direct agent that produces an effect (more objective, used in science). A 'reason' is the explanation or justification for an action or belief (more subjective, involves logic/motivation).
Yes, it is commonly used and accepted in modern English, including formal writing, though some strict stylists prefer 'the reason that' or simply 'the reason'.
It means to talk to someone logically to persuade them or get them to change their mind, often implying they are upset or unreasonable.
Yes, when referring to the faculty of logical thought (e.g., 'Human reason is a powerful tool'), it is uncountable. When referring to specific causes, it is countable (e.g., 'several reasons').
Collections
Part of a collection
Abstract Thinking
B2 · 49 words · Words for ideas, reasoning and intellectual concepts.