REASONS Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

reasons 1 of 2

noun

plural of reason

as in explanations

a statement given to explain a belief or act she gave a good reason for her seemingly suspicious behavior

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Relevance

as in motives

something (as a belief) that serves as the basis for another thing a firm belief that we are here on earth to help others is the reason for her tireless volunteer work

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as in excuses

an explanation that frees one from fault or blame what reason do you have for being in such a bad mood?

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as in causes

someone or something responsible for a result what's the meteorological reason for tornadoes?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reasons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of reason

as in derives

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning and information she reasoned that since all of the cakes were on sale for the same price, she might as well pick the biggest one

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as in argues

to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration he tried to reason that no one in their right mind would buy his brother's old video games, but they were put on the online auction anyway

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Example Sentences

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 reasons

Noun

Experts studying fear have theorized that one of the major reasons people are flocking to horror experiences lately — whether theme parks, novels or movies — is that the world feels so uncertain. — Ayesha Rascoe, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026 But the offensive line has turned out to be TCU’s biggest weakness this season and one of the primary reasons the program sits at 3-4 (1-3 Big 12). — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026 Those who create compelling reasons for people to come together in the physical world have an enormous runway ahead. — Davis Noell, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026 Other key reasons included feeling part of something bigger than oneself (16%), holding memories with family and friends (13%), experiencing a sense of wonder (12%) and finding support during difficult periods (8%). — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 24 Oct. 2026 This is for a variety of reasons, but part of it is due to the battery management system reserving capacity to protect new cells. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026 There have been few reasons to celebrate in Ann Arbor over the three seasons since Michigan won the College Football Playoff national championship. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 Among their reasons for concern is Ohio’s poor track record when women are on the ballot. — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026 Perhaps one of the reasons that the Fizz was so popular was that it was consumed directly after creation, when its flavor and temperature and texture were at their absolute peak. — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026

Verb

The consultant reasons by filling a notebook with calculations, then hands you a one-sentence answer, and keeps the notebook. — Adam Fish, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 How the Fed reasons its way to agreements is as important as the agreements. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2026 The system reasons underneath, processing infinitely complex 3D scenarios, handling trade clashes, regulations and tradeoffs - learning from user feedback over time to eliminate the need for users to supervise its intelligence. — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reasons

Noun

These symptoms can have harmless explanations, and Midnight Mimosa may operate without obvious warning signs.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The students presented their research at a free public forum Wednesday night, where community members could hear their explanations and ask questions.

— James Taylor, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of explanations

Noun

In the end, these conversations, and his own meditations on identity and family, as well as his noted narrative omissions and motives in telling the story, become the main thrust of the podcast.

— Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
That’s a question for next season, but their flirtation has been built around Sid’s ambiguous motives from the beginning.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of motives

Noun

None of this excuses Chris’ malicious behavior, not just toward Carrie but toward her future stepsister, Brooklyn (Rowan Danielle), and the school as a whole, mostly via a fake Instagram account devoted to smearing students and faculty alike.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
They are held to a standard that doesn't include entitlement, excuses, or any agenda other than TEAM.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of excuses

Noun

The Hurts episode is an apt reminder of why the organization seeks to educate the public more about symptoms and causes.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Griffin’s contributions highlight the role wealthy donors play in Florida politics, where political committees can raise substantial sums to support candidates and causes.

— Luisa Yanez, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of causes

Verb

FirstDate primarily derives those preferences from questionnaires.

— Matthew Tan, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
The power of prediction markets derives precisely from sucking our attention toward what’s speculable—incentivizing the networked crowd to separate signal from noise at scale.

— Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of derives

Verb

The bigger issue, Chesky argues, is a shortage of new construction.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The union argues that income limits topping $500,000 in parts of the state make it more a tax break for the wealthy than an education program.

— Lara Murray-Sterzel, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of argues

Noun

During a prolonged municipal review, one faction of residents called on officials to let Costco build while another lobbied to scuttle the plan — all citing many of the arguments being made in the BJ’s case now.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 27 Oct. 2026
At the meeting with regulators, company representatives reiterated these arguments.

— Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 27 Oct. 2026