reason about

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reason about" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express the idea of pondering or considering something in a reasoned manner. For example, "We need to reason about the best route to take for our journey."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

TimeText is a temporal reasoning system designed to represent, extract, and reason about temporal information in clinical text.

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association

He always has a reason about everything".

The New York Times - Sports

Empathy requires the ability to reason about the beliefs of others.

The New York Times

And I, too, in my forties, have been thinking, with quite good reason, about death.

Independent

I put up a blog post at Reason about this a few months ago.

The Economist

I often complain, with reason, about the state of economic discussion in the United States.

The New York Times

I have an opinion and a reason about what's going on.

The New York Times

I can lay out rhyme and reason about where we're making progress.

The New York Times

But there can be nothing to reason about if there is no objective content to faith.

The New York Times

We use a logical framework to reason about these problems.

Security Informatics

This metadata allows the PolicyEngine to reason about these platforms.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "reason about" when you want to convey a deliberate and thoughtful process of understanding or problem-solving. For example, "Scientists must reason about the data before drawing conclusions."

Common error

While "reason about" is perfectly acceptable, avoid using it excessively in casual conversations or informal writing. Simpler alternatives like "think about" or "consider" may be more appropriate in those situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reason about" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the act of using logic and intellect to understand or solve a problem. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

54%

News & Media

29%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "reason about" is a versatile and commonly used verb phrase that signifies the act of thinking critically and logically about a subject. According to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically sound and suitable for various contexts, particularly in science, news, and formal communication. While synonyms like "think through" or "analyze" exist, "reason about" conveys a structured and deliberate thought process. When writing, ensure that you use this phrase to convey a thoughtful and analytical approach to understanding something, and avoid overusing it in very informal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

think through

This alternative emphasizes a thorough and methodical consideration.

analyze

This alternative suggests a more detailed and structured examination.

consider

This alternative indicates a careful thought process.

deliberate on

This suggests a more formal and careful consideration.

ponder

This emphasizes a deep and thoughtful reflection.

contemplate

This suggests a more reflective and speculative consideration.

work out

This implies finding a solution or understanding through reasoning.

figure out

This is a more informal way of saying to understand something through reasoning.

deduce

This implies drawing a conclusion based on evidence and reasoning.

infer

This suggests drawing a conclusion from indirect evidence or logical reasoning.

FAQs

How can I use "reason about" in a sentence?

You can use "reason about" to describe the process of thinking logically about something. For example, "The team needs to reason about the project's potential risks."

What can I say instead of "reason about"?

You can use alternatives like "think through", "analyze", or "consider" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "reason on" instead of "reason about"?

While "reason on" might be used in some contexts, "reason about" is generally the more common and accepted phrasing in modern English.

What's the difference between "reason about" and "think about"?

"Reason about" implies a more structured and logical thought process, while "think about" is a more general term for considering something. You would reason about a problem, but simply think about your vacation plans.