irrational

irrational: irrational, unreasonable are comparable when meaning not governed or guided by reason. Both terms have been used occasionally in the sense of not having the power to reason

{
nothing has a greater effect on all plants and irrational animals— Hume
}

{
whilst his fellowman . . . must as the unreasonable beast drag on a life of labor— Southey
}

Except in technical senses (as in mathematics) both words apply usually to men, their acts, utterances, feelings, policies, and demands.

Irrational may imply a lack of usual or normal mental control and powers

{
the patient was irrational during the course of his fever
}

but more often it suggests a lack of control or guidance by the reason, or direct conflict with reason's dictates; it therefore comes close to absurd, illogical, foolish, pre-posterous, senseless, or fantastic

{
governed by an irrational fear
}

{
irrational beliefs
}

{
an irrational policy
}

{
his temperamental impulse to energetic practical action . . . and the reserve, passivity, and isolation which myopia enforced, seemed to him absolutely irrational— Ellis
}

{
though normal and very intelligent in most respects Mrs. Lincoln was irrational on one subject: she could not think straight in matters that pertained to money— R. P. Randall
}

Unreasonable implies guidance or control by some force (as self-will, passion, ambition, greed, or stubbornness) which makes one deficient in judgment or good sense. As applied to one's acts or utterances, it suggests lack of justification by reason; the term therefore comes close to inequitable, immoderate, excessive, unfair, or extravagant

{
you will not be so unreasonable as to send your child out in this storm
}

{
his demands are unreasonable
}

{
obstinate and unreasonable pertinacity
}

{
an unreasonable price for beef
}

{
the earnings . . . were found materially in excess of a fair return, and the general level of their rates was found unjust and unreasonable—J. C. Nelson
}

{
it is a little unreasonable to find fault with his maxims because they do not apply to all times and places— A. M. Young
}

Analogous words: absurd, preposterous, *foolish, silly: fatuous, asinine, *simple: crazy, demented, mad, *insane

Antonyms: rational

Contrasted words: reasonable (see RATIONAL): *wise, judicious, sage, sapient, prudent, sane, sensible: *logical

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Synonyms:

Brutish, brute, void of reason, without reason / Absurd, unreasonable, preposterous, foolish, silly, unwise; injudicious, extravagant / Demented, alienated (in mind), crazy, lunatic, aberrant / Surd

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Irrational — may refer to: *Irrationality *Irrational rhythm, *Irrational exuberance *Irrational GamesIn mathematics: *Irrational number *Proof that e is irrational *Proof that pi; is irrational *Quadratic irrational *List of integrals of irrational… … Wikipedia
irrational — ir·ra·tio·nal /ir ra shə nəl/ adj: not rational: as a: not governed by reason, mental clarity, or understanding b: not governed by a fair consideration of facts or evidence; broadly: arbitrary an irrational decision to deny the permit… … Law dictionary
irrational — [i rash′ə nəl] adj. [ME < L irrationalis: see IN 2 & RATIONAL] 1. lacking the power to reason 2. contrary to reason; senseless; unreasonable; absurd 3. Math. designating a real number not expressible as an integer or as a quotient of two… … English World dictionary
irrational — ir*ra tion*al ([i^]r*r[a^]sh [u^]n*al), a. [L. irrationalis: cf. F. irrationnel. See {In } not, and {Rational}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Not rational; void of reason or understanding; as, brutes are irrational animals. [1913 Webster] 2. Not according… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
irrational — Adj. (Mittelstufe) nicht von der Vernunft geleitet, unvernünftig Beispiel: Die Situation wirkt ziemlich irrational. Kollokation: sich irrational verhalten … Extremes Deutsch
Irrational — (v. lat., fr. Irraisonabel), 1) vernunftwidrig; 2) unüberlegt; 3) (Math.), ein Verhältnißbegriff für Größen, deren eine nicht aus Theilen der anderen zusammengesetzt werden kann, z.B. die Diagonale eines Quadrats od. Cubus in Beziehung auf deren… … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
Irrationāl — (lat., irrationell), vernunftwidrig, unvernünftig; in der Mathematik Bezeichnung für eine Zahl, die zur Einheit inkommensurabel ist (s. Größe, S. 421), deren Wert man daher nicht völlig genau, sondern nur annähernd (durch einen unendlichen, nicht … Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon
Irrational — Irrational, Bezeichnung für mehrdeutige algebraische Funktionen … Lexikon der gesamten Technik
Irrational — Irrationāl (lat.), vernunftwidrig; in der Mathematik Bezeichnung von Zahlgrößen, die sich nicht durch ganze Zahlen oder Brüche, sondern nur annähernd (durch unendliche Dezimalbrüche) ausdrücken lassen, wie z.B. die Wurzel ganzer Zahlen, die nicht … Kleines Konversations-Lexikon
Irrational — Irrational, lat. deutsch, vernunftwidrig; I.ismus, I.ität, Vernunftwidrigkeit. In der Mathematik heißen diejenigen Größen i.e, welche in ihren Theilen nicht durch einander zusammengesetzt werden können; bei den Zahlen diejenigen, welche sich… … Herders Conversations-Lexikon

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