reasonable reason

USAGE SUMMARY

"reasonable reason" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to describe a rationale that is sensible and logical. For example, "I needed to make a decision, so I used my best judgement based on a reasonable reason".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

For this reasonable reason, each of her books has a different look.

The New York Times - Books

So those are the three common and I think completely reasonable reason to have a meeting.

Harvard Business Review

Due process if reasonable reason to press charges OR released as free and put on a plane home?

The New York Times

A reasonable reason not to attend the debate perhaps; but hardly justification for silencing any discussion by thuggishly threatening to disrupt it with 'instruments'instruments

Independent

Ms. Ward argues that one's religious beliefs are a reasonable reason to refer a client, while the university argues that it has to train students to work with all kinds of clients.

The New York Times

"To think that she is gone forever and we will never see her again is almost like losing a loved one," he said, but then he thought about the potential for harbor damage and added, "That's a reasonable reason to scrap it".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

These people rarely drink alcohol – and not for the reasonable reasons, which are religion, previous alcoholism or pregnancy.

The Guardian - Opinion

"They may have perfectly reasonable reasons for wanting surgery, but we mustn't enthusiastically accelerate them towards the theatre as a commercial commodity.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"It seems completely arbitrary, they haven't given any reasonable reasons why and the police simply refused to engage," says Chivers.

The Guardian

There is a scale of predictability in sports and football is right in the middle: there are many perfectly reasonable reasons to think one team should win a match, but enough chance involved to keep us hooked.

The Guardian - Sport

"Trinity Mirror has reasonable reasons for doing this [pay per click].

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "reasonable reason", ensure that the context doesn't suggest redundancy. Consider if a single word, such as "rationale" or "justification", might be more concise.

Common error

Avoid stacking adjectives excessively. While "reasonable reason" isn't strictly incorrect, repeatedly qualifying nouns can weaken your writing. Strive for precision by choosing nouns that inherently convey the desired meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reasonable reason" primarily functions as a noun phrase, where "reasonable" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "reason". As Ludwig AI explains, this phrase indicates a rationale that is sensible and logical.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "reasonable reason" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a rationale that is sensible and logical. Although Ludwig AI marks the phrase as correct and usable, it is sometimes considered somewhat redundant and can often be replaced by a single, more precise word such as "rationale" or "justification". The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media, Science and Wiki content and maintains a neutral register. When employing "reasonable reason", writers should consider whether a more concise or impactful alternative might better suit their purpose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

valid justification

Replaces "reason" with "justification" and "reasonable" with "valid", focusing on the defensibility of the reason.

sound explanation

Uses "explanation" to convey the reason and "sound" to indicate its logical basis.

logical rationale

Substitutes "reasonable" with "logical", emphasizing the rational aspect of the reason.

sensible grounds

Replaces "reason" with "grounds", suggesting a foundation or basis for something, and "reasonable" with "sensible".

plausible motive

Uses "motive" to highlight the driving force behind an action and "plausible" to describe its believability.

justifiable cause

Replaces reason with cause, suggesting a validated reason.

rational basis

Replaces "reason" with "basis", which indicates the foundation of an argument or decision, and replaces "reasonable" with "rational".

acceptable pretext

Uses "pretext" indicating a reason that is presented as the real reason but is not necessarily so and "acceptable" indicating it is ok to show as the real reason.

convincing argument

Replaces "reason" with "argument", emphasizing the persuasiveness of the explanation, and "reasonable" with "convincing".

sufficient justification

Indicates reason and purpose enough to satisfy needs.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "reasonable reason"?

The phrase "reasonable reason" is appropriate when you want to emphasize that a reason is logical and makes sense. However, consider if a single, stronger word like "justification" or "rationale" might be more effective.

What are some alternatives to saying "reasonable reason"?

You can use alternatives like "valid justification", "sound explanation", or "logical rationale" depending on the context.

Is "reasonable reason" redundant?

Some may consider "reasonable reason" to be somewhat redundant, as the term "reason" often implies a degree of logical thought. Using a more precise term, such as "valid justification", can sometimes be more impactful.

How can I make my writing more concise when using "reasonable reason"?

To improve conciseness, analyze if the adjective "reasonable" adds significant meaning. If not, simply using "reason" might suffice. Alternatively, replace the entire phrase with a single word like "rationale" or "basis".