ratiocination

noun

ˌra-tē-ˌō-sə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce ratiocination (audio)
Definition of ratiocinationnext
as in reasoning
the thought processes that have been established as leading to valid solutions to problems as an expert in ratiocination, the detective Sherlock Holmes has few rivals

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ratiocination Since Magdalen is all emotion and no ratiocination, No Name might seem to tease that the real detective character is split across the two sisters. — Literary Hub, 24 July 2026 The underground man is someone who is cursed with ratiocination. — Sean Illing, Vox, 9 Dec. 2024 Once again, using the obtuse ratiocination of her characters, DeWitt aims at nothing less than expanding readerly consciousness, gesturing toward a world of untapped possibility freed from convention. — Charles Arrowsmith, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2022 At the same time that professional men of science were forming the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Poe was lambasting professionals in favor of splendid amateurism and personal ratiocination. — Colin Dickey, The New Republic, 21 July 2021 The surface of the table was taken up with all sorts of paraphernalia superfluous, not to say impedimental, to ratiocination. — Hermione Hoby, New York Times, 1 June 2018 Outside of pure math our powers of ratiocination are overwhelmed by subjective decisions along the chain of propositions. — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ratiocination
  1. reasoning
  2. logic
Noun
  • Instead, applicants must complete a seven-step process that includes personality and abstract reasoning tests.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The system is built to produce deterministic outputs, trace the reasoning behind them, and apply the same underlying logic consistently across mortgage files.
    — Ethan Stone, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of reasoning
Noun
  • Some songs are difficult to follow without lyric sheets in hand, and even then, the internal logic collapses, baiting you in with coherent ideas before going in another direction.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Making collaboration count That same logic is also driving interest in sourcing pools—by no means a novel concept but one that has been discussed more in the abstract than put into practice.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of logic

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“Ratiocination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ratiocination. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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