what's the rationale

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

You can use "what's the rationale" when you want to understand the underlying reasoning behind a decision or action. For example: "The company decided to change its marketing strategy. What's the rationale behind this decision?"

If you're looking for a less formal way to ask "what's the rationale", you can use phrases like "what's the reason" or simply "why".

"What's the rationale" seeks the logical reasoning, while "what's the justification" implies a need to defend the action, as there might be disagreement. You can use "what's the justification" when the action may be controversial.

Yes, "what is the rationale" is slightly more formal than "what's the rationale" due to the absence of the contraction. The contracted form, "what's", is generally acceptable in most contexts, but the uncontracted form may be preferred in very formal or academic writing.