irrational
not reasonable or logical
Not based on clear thinking or good reasons; not reasonable.
to be irrational about [something]
- Her fear of flying is completely irrational, especially since she has never had a bad experience on a plane.
- It would be irrational to quit your job before you find another one.
- He became irrational with jealousy and started accusing her of things she never did.
- The manager dismissed the complaint as irrational and not based on any facts.
- I know it sounds irrational, but I check the door three times before I can sleep.
- I have an irrational fear of dogs.
- It is irrational to drive so fast in the rain.
- He got angry in an irrational way.
- Her worry about small mistakes is irrational.
- They think buying that car now is irrational.
not expressible as a simple fraction
In math, about a number that you cannot write as one whole number over another whole number (a simple fraction).
an irrational [number]
- We can prove that the square root of 2 is irrational.
- Pi is an irrational constant that appears in many formulas in geometry and physics.
- They asked the students to decide whether each number on the worksheet was rational or irrational.
- The teacher explained that an irrational number has an infinite, non-repeating decimal expansion.
- Because the result is irrational, it cannot be written exactly as a simple fraction.
- The square root of 2 is an irrational number.
- This decimal is irrational because it never ends and never repeats.
- In math class we learned the difference between rational and irrational numbers.
- Pi is the most famous irrational number.
- Not every square root is irrational.
an irrational number (math)
In math, a number that you cannot write as one whole number over another whole number (a simple fraction).
an irrational [in a set of numbers]
- Within the real numbers, every number is either a rational or an irrational.
- The set of irrationals is uncountable, unlike the set of rationals.
- In this proof, we assume that the limit is an irrational and then derive a contradiction.
- They discussed whether the given decimal represented a rational or an irrational.
- Each root of the equation that is not a fraction is an irrational.
- Pi is an irrational.
- Zero point three three three is not an irrational.
- In this exercise, you must find one irrational.
- The teacher wrote two rationals and one irrational on the board.
- Not every square root is an irrational.
- Base: irrational
irrational behavior
1actions not based on reason
Actions that are not based on clear thinking or good reasons.
- The manager was fired for his repeated irrational behavior toward staff.
- Stress and lack of sleep can sometimes lead to irrational behavior.
- They were worried by his sudden irrational behavior during meetings.
irrational exuberance
1overexcited, unjustified financial optimism
A very strong and excited belief, especially in financial markets, that prices will keep going up, even when there is no good reason.
- The central banker warned that stock prices might reflect irrational exuberance rather than real economic growth.
- Many analysts blamed the housing bubble on irrational exuberance among investors.
- Irrational exuberance pushed tech stocks far beyond their actual earnings.
irrational exuberance
1unrealistic market optimism
too much confidence that makes prices rise too high
- Some analysts warned that the surge in tech stocks was driven by irrational exuberance.
- The housing boom was later blamed on irrational exuberance and easy credit.
- After the crash, many investors admitted their decisions had been fueled by irrational exuberance.
irrational exuberance
1unreasonably excited optimism
Excitement and confidence that is not reasonable.
- Some economists blamed the bubble on irrational exuberance among investors.
- The CEO cautioned that irrational exuberance could push prices beyond their true value.
- After the bad news, a wave of irrational exuberance quickly disappeared.
irrational fear
1a fear with no logical cause
A strong fear that is not based on real danger or good reasons.
- She has an irrational fear of elevators and will always take the stairs, even to the tenth floor.
- His irrational fear of failure stops him from trying new things.
- Therapy helped him understand where his irrational fear of water came from.
irrational number
1mathematical term for non-fractional real number
In math, a real number that you cannot write as one whole number over another whole number (a simple fraction).
- The teacher explained that the square root of 2 is an irrational number.
- Students must be able to tell whether a given decimal is a rational or an irrational number.
- Pi is the most famous irrational number in mathematics.