Rationalize vs Excuse - What's the difference?

rationalize | excuse |

As verbs the difference between rationalize and excuse

is that rationalize is to make something rational or more rational while excuse is .

rationalize

English

(wikipedia rationalize)

Alternative forms

* (l) (UK et al)

Verb

(rationaliz)

To make something rational or more rational.

To justify an immoral act, or illogical behaviour. “The process of thought by which one justifies a discreditable act, and by which one offers to oneself and the world a better motive for one's action than the true motive”

(mathematics) To remove radicals, without changing the value of an expression or the roots of an equation.

To structure something along modern, efficient and systematic lines, or according to scientific principles.

Derived terms

* (l), (l)

References

Anagrams

* ----

excuse

English

Verb

(excus)

To forgive; to pardon.

I excused him his transgressions.

* Shakespeare

I must excuse what cannot be amended.

* Archbishop Sharp

A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practising it, if really and indeed it be against God's law.

To allow to leave.

May I be excused from the table?

I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.

To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.

You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!

To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

* Bible, 2. Corinthians xii. 19

Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you?

Synonyms

* forgive, let off the hook, let pass, pardon, unguilt

Derived terms

* excuse me * excuse my French

Noun

(en noun)

An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.

Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses !

(legal) A defense to a criminal or civil charge wherein the accused party admits to doing acts for which legal consequences would normally be appropriate, but asserts that special circumstances relieve that party of culpability for having done those acts.

An example.(attention)

That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?

He's a sorry excuse of a doctor.

Usage notes

* We often say to make an excuse.

Synonyms

* (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment ): pretext

External links

* * English heteronyms ----