Key: "S:" = Show Synset (semantic) relations, "W:" = Show Word (lexical) relations
Display options for sense: (gloss) "an example sentence"
Verb
S: (v) apologize, apologise, excuse, rationalize, rationalise (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning) "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
S: (v) apologize, apologise, excuse, rationalize, rationalise (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning) "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
S: (v) stand up, stick up (defend against attack or criticism) "He stood up for his friend"; "She stuck up for the teacher who was accused of harassing the student"
S: (v) uphold (stand up for; stick up for; of causes, principles, or ideals)
W: (n) apology [Related to: apologise] (a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly)
W: (n) apology [Related to: apologise] (an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone) "he wrote a letter of apology to the hostess"
W: (adj) excusatory [Related to: excuse] (offering or expressing apology) "an apologetic note"; "an apologetic manner"
W: (n) excuse [Related to: excuse] (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.) "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"
W: (n) rationalization [Related to: rationalize] (the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason)
W: (n) rationalisation [Related to: rationalise] (the cognitive process of making something seem consistent with or based on reason)
S: (v) cut, prune, rationalize, rationalise (weed out unwanted or unnecessary things) "We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet"
S: (v) rationalize, rationalise (structure and run according to rational or scientific principles in order to achieve desired results) "We rationalized the factory's production and raised profits"
S: (v) rationalize, rationalise (think rationally; employ logic or reason) "When one wonders why one is doing certain things, one should rationalize"
S: (v) rationalize, rationalise (remove irrational quantities from) "This function can be rationalized"
S: (v) change, alter, modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation) "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"