Definition
To attempt to explain or justify behavior or attitudes with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate or genuine. It can also mean to make something more efficient or logical through reorganization.
Etymology
From Latin rationalis (reasonable) plus the suffix -ize (to make). The psychological sense developed in the early 20th century, describing the unconscious process of creating reasonable-sounding explanations for unreasonable behavior.
Kelly Says
Rationalizing is like being your own defense attorney for bad decisions! Your brain automatically generates plausible-sounding reasons for choices you made for completely different (often emotional) reasons, protecting your self-image from uncomfortable truths.
Translations
AFAfrikaans
rasionaliseer
ra-si-o-na-li-SEER
BGБългарски
рационализирам
ra-tsi-o-na-li-ZI-ram
DEDeutsch
rationalisieren
ELΕλληνικά
ορθολογικοποίηση
ETEesti
ratsionaliseerima
ra-tsi-o-na-li-SEE-ri-ma
EUEuskara
arrazionalizatu
a-rra-tsi-o-na-li-ZA-tu
GLGalego
racionalizar
ra-si-o-na-li-ZAR
HRHrvatski
racionalizirati
ra-tsi-o-na-li-ZI-ra-ti
IDBahasa Indonesia
merasionalkan
ITItaliano
razionalizzare
LTLietuvių
racionalizuoti
ra-tsi-o-na-li-ZUO-ti
LVLatviešu
racionalizēt
ra-tsi-o-na-li-ZET
MNМонгол
ойролцоолох
oi-rol-tsoo-lokh
MSBahasa Melayu
merasionalkan
NLNederlands
rationaliseren
RUРусский
рационализировать
SKSlovenčina
racionalizovať
ra-tsi-o-na-li-zo-VACH
SLSlovenščina
racionalizirati
ra-tsi-o-na-li-ZI-ra-ti
SRСрпски
рационализовати
ra-tsi-o-na-li-zo-va-ti
SWKiswahili
kufanya akili
TAதமிழ்
நியாயப்படுத்துதல்
TRTürkçe
rasyonelleştirmek
UKУкраїнська
раціоналізувати
ZUZU
ukwenza okusesikweni