good reason

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A sound, fair or convincing cause or explanation for doing, believing or feeling something.

   Grammar: Countable: you can give a good reason or several good reasons.

   Patterns

   • good reason to do something
   • good reason for something
   • good reason why

   You need a good reason to miss the meeting.

   She had good reason to distrust the website after seeing the reviews.

   Is there any good reason why the shop closes at four?

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   With good reason or for good reason means in a way that is justified, so that people are right to react as they do.

   Grammar: Works like an adverb phrase added to a statement: they were worried, and with good reason.

   Patterns

   • for good reason
   • with good reason

   The town fears floods, and with good reason after last year's storm.

   They avoid that road for good reason, because it is often icy.

Word forms

Common combinations

have good reason to

We have good reason to believe the report is accurate.

for a good reason

The rule exists for a good reason.

without good reason

He never skips practice without good reason.

every good reason

She has every good reason to be proud.

give a good reason

Please give a good reason for the delay.

Synonyms and how they differ

justification

Justification is more formal and stresses proof that an action was right, while good reason is plain and everyday.

valid grounds

Valid grounds is common in legal or official language, whereas good reason works in casual speech.

sound basis

Sound basis focuses on a logical foundation for a belief, while good reason can cover any decision.

solid cause

Solid cause sounds slightly literary and is less frequent than good reason.

Opposites

Word family

reason noun

a cause or explanation

reason verb

to think logically

reasonable adjective

fair and sensible

reasonably adverb

in a fair way or fairly well

reasoning noun

the process of thinking logically

Commonly confused: good reason or excuse?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “good reason”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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