motivated reasonings

A form of motivated reasoning — The phenomenon of seeking out rational arguments in favor of a conclusion already reached for non-rational (chiefly emotional) reasons.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

noun
  1. pluralplural of motivated reasoning
Cite this entry
APA

motivated reasonings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motivated%20reasonings

MLA

“motivated reasonings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motivated%20reasonings. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “motivated reasonings,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motivated%20reasonings.

Source: motivated reasonings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.