REASONING

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does reasoning mean? 

• REASONING (noun)
  The noun REASONING has 1 sense:

1. thinking that is coherent and logical

  Familiarity information: REASONING used as a noun is very rare.

• REASONING (adjective)
  The adjective REASONING has 1 sense:

1. endowed with the capacity to reason

  Familiarity information: REASONING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REASONING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Thinking that is coherent and logical

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

abstract thought; logical thinking; reasoning

Hypernyms ("reasoning" is a kind of...):

cerebration; intellection; mentation; thinking; thought; thought process (the process of using your mind to consider something carefully)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "reasoning"):

analysis; analytic thinking (the abstract separation of a whole into its constituent parts in order to study the parts and their relations)

argument; argumentation; line; line of reasoning; logical argument (a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning)

conjecture (reasoning that involves the formation of conclusions from incomplete evidence)

deduction; deductive reasoning; synthesis (reasoning from the general to the particular (or from cause to effect))

illation; inference (the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation)

anticipation; prediction; prevision (the act of predicting (as by reasoning about the future))

ratiocination (logical and methodical reasoning)

reasoning backward; regress (the reasoning involved when you assume the conclusion is true and reason backward to the evidence)

synthesis; synthetic thinking (the combination of ideas into a complex whole)

Derivation:

reason (think logically)

• REASONING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Endowed with the capacity to reason

Synonyms:

intelligent; reasoning; thinking

Similar:

rational (consistent with or based on or using reason)

 Context examples 

A question about whether an individual has or had difficulty doing activities involving concentration and reasoning.

(Did You Have Difficulty Doing Activities Involving Concentration and Thinking, NCI Thesaurus)

A question about whether an individual has or had difficulty reasoning and solving problems.

(Did You Have Difficulty Reasoning and Solving Problems, NCI Thesaurus)

With his notions of dignity, he would probably feel that the arguments, which to Elizabeth had appeared weak and ridiculous, contained much good sense and solid reasoning.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

It shocked her, too, sometimes, when she was apart from him, a cool and reasoning creature.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning,” I remarked.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“A brave piece of reasoning,” cried the other, “and I know of but one reply to it.”

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With this train of reasoning in my head I naturally looked about in Mortimer Tregennis’s room to find some remains of this substance.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Oh, but reasoning is worse than scolding!” exclaimed Dora, in despair.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Like all Holmes’s reasoning the thing seemed simplicity itself when it was once explained.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His displeasure against herself she trusted, reasoning differently from Mrs. Norris, would now be done away.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)