How to Pronounce Rational

To pronounce "rational", say RAT-ion-al — 3 syllables, IPA /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

rational

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Accent

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3

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “rational”

"rational" has 3 syllables: rat-ion-al. It rhymes with irrational and transnational, if that helps it stick.

What does rational mean?

noun

  1. A rational number: a number that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers.

    “The quotient of two rationals is again a rational.”

adjective

  1. Capable of reasoning.

    “Man is a rational creature.”

  2. Logically sound; not contradictory or otherwise absurd.

    “His statements were quite rational.”

Antonyms

arationalirrationalnon-rationalabsurd

Hear “rational” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with rational

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

irrationaltransnationalpassionalmultinationalbinationalsupranationalinternacionalinternationalinternatonalnationalnationale

Related words

reasonablesanelogicalreasoningintellectualthinkingmentalintelligent

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "rational"?▾

"Rational" has 3 syllables: rat · ion · al.

What is the IPA transcription of "rational"?▾

The IPA transcription of "rational" is /ˈɹæʃ(ə)nəl/.

What does "rational" mean?▾

Rational: A rational number: a number that can be expressed as the quotient of two integers.

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