Reasonable means fair, sensible, and based on good judgment rather than extreme emotions or unrealistic expectations. A reasonable person thinks things through and considers what makes sense in a situation.

When a teacher gives students a reasonable amount of homework, it's enough to practice new skills without overwhelming them. When friends have a disagreement, a reasonable solution is one that both can accept, even if neither gets exactly what they wanted. If you're saving money to buy something special, setting a reasonable goal means choosing something you can actually afford within a few months, not a mansion or a rocket ship.

The word connects to reason, which means using your brain to think logically. Someone making a reasonable request asks for something that's actually possible and fair. If you ask to stay up fifteen minutes past bedtime to finish a chapter, that's reasonable. Asking to stay up until midnight on a school night isn't.

Reasonable can also describe prices that aren't too high. A restaurant with reasonable prices charges enough to stay in business but doesn't try to overcharge customers.

The opposite of reasonable might be unreasonable (unfair or extreme) or irrational (not based on logic). When people describe someone as reasonable, they usually mean that person is easy to work with because they listen, think clearly, and don't make everything difficult.