thinking that is coherent and logical
"The detective impressed everyone with his reasoning, as he logically connected every clue to solve the case."
The deduction of inferences or interpretations from premises; abstract thought; ratiocination.
"The scientist's brilliant reasoning led to a groundbreaking theory about the nature of time."
In plain English: Reasoning is the process of using your brain to figure things out by connecting facts and ideas logically.
"The detective used clear reasoning to solve the mystery quickly."
Usage: Use reasoning to describe the logical process of drawing conclusions based on evidence, rather than referring to an emotional explanation. It is often confused with "rationale," which specifically denotes the underlying justification for a decision instead of the mental act itself.
present participle of reason
"The reasoning animal uses its brain to solve problems."
In plain English: To reason is to use your brain to think through facts and make sense of things so you can figure out what's true or decide on an action.
"The detective was reasoning through the clues to find who broke into the house."
endowed with the capacity to reason
"The chimpanzee's remarkable ability to solve complex puzzles proved that it was truly reasoning rather than just reacting instinctively."