Assert and Rationalize

verb

• State categorically.
  • synonyms: asseverate, maintain
• To declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true.
  • usage: "Before God I swear I am innocent"
  • synonyms: affirm, verify, avow, aver, swan, swear
• Insist on having one's opinions and rights recognized.
  • usage: "Women should assert themselves more"
  • synonyms: put forward
• Assert to be true.
  • usage: "The letter asserts a free society"
  • synonyms: insist

• (v.t.) To maintain; to defend.
• (v.t.) To maintain or defend, as a cause or a claim, by words or measures; to vindicate a claim or title to; as, to assert our rights and liberties.
• (v.t.) To affirm; to declare with assurance or plainly and strongly; to state positively; to aver; to asseverate.

verb

• Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning.
  • usage: "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
  • synonyms: apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalise
• Weed out unwanted or unnecessary things.
  • usage: "We had to lose weight, so we cut the sugar from our diet"
  • synonyms: cut, prune, rationalise
• Structure and run according to rational or scientific principles in order to achieve desired results.
  • usage: "We rationalized the factory's production and raised profits"
  • synonyms: rationalise
• Think rationally; employ logic or reason.
  • usage: "When one wonders why one is doing certain things, one should rationalize"
  • synonyms: rationalise
• Remove irrational quantities from.
  • usage: "This function can be rationalized"
  • synonyms: rationalise

• (v.i.) To use, and rely on, reason in forming a theory, belief, etc., especially in matters of religion: to accord with the principles of rationalism.
• (v.t.) To interpret in the manner of a rationalist.
• (v.t.) To form a rational conception of.
• (v.t.) To make rational; also, to convert to rationalism.
• (v.t.) To render rational; to free from radical signs or quantities.