REASONABLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does reasonable mean? 

• REASONABLE (adjective)
  The adjective REASONABLE has 3 senses:

1. showing reason or sound judgment

2. not excessive or extreme

3. marked by sound judgment

  Familiarity information: REASONABLE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REASONABLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Showing reason or sound judgment

Synonyms:

reasonable; sensible

Context example:

a sensible person

Similar:

commonsense; commonsensible; commonsensical (exhibiting native good judgment)

healthy; intelligent; level-headed; levelheaded; sound (exercising or showing good judgment)

tenable; well-founded (based on sound reasoning or evidence)

Also:

fair; just (free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules)

logical (capable of or reflecting the capability for correct and valid reasoning)

rational (consistent with or based on or using reason)

valid (well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force)

Attribute:

reasonableness (goodness of reason and judgment)

Antonym:

unreasonable (not reasonable; not showing good judgment)

Derivation:

reasonableness (the quality of being plausible or acceptable to a reasonable person)

reasonableness (goodness of reason and judgment)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not excessive or extreme

Synonyms:

fair; fairish; reasonable

Context example:

reasonable prices

Similar:

moderate (being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme)

Derivation:

reasonableness (moderation in expectations)

reasonableness (the property of being moderate in price or expenditures)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Marked by sound judgment

Synonyms:

reasonable; sane

Context example:

sane nuclear policy

Similar:

rational (consistent with or based on or using reason)

Derivation:

reasonableness (the state of having good sense and sound judgment)

 Context examples 

Still, however, affection was glad to catch at any reasonable excuse for not hurrying on the wretched moment.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I don't know that I thought it very reasonable; but I thought it very delightful, and essentially a part of their character.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Mr. Allen expressed himself on the occasion with the reasonable resentment of a sensible friend; and Mrs. Allen thought his expressions quite good enough to be immediately made use of again by herself.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

There can hardly be a more unpleasant sensation than the having anything returned on our hands which we have given with a reasonable hope of its contributing to the comfort of a friend.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

“Well, that’s reasonable enough,” said Lestrade.

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

Then he became a little more reasonable.

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

I confess that as Summerlee stated his view it struck me as altogether reasonable.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Now do be reasonable, and take a sensible view of the case," implored Jo, almost at her wit's end.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I expected to find a more reasonable young woman.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

It is not yet clear exactly how many genes these target, but the researchers have identified 191 genes with reasonable confidence; less than one in five of these had been previously recognised.

(Detailed genetic study provides most comprehensive map of risk to date of breast cancer risk, University of Cambridge)