rule out

verb

ruled out; ruling out; rules out
Synonyms of rule outnext

transitive verb

1
: exclude, eliminate
They were ruled out as candidates for the job.
2
: to make impossible : prevent
Heavy rain ruled out the picnic.

Synonyms of rule out

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Examples of rule out in a Sentence

another loss would rule them out of the tournament
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
News and notes • Daniel Palencia has been ruled out until sometime after the All-Star break. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 1 July 2026 While Middleton hasn’t been ruled out, he was not targeted by the Heat early in free agency, according to a league source. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 After an injury in the fourth quarter of a game against the Magic, the Hawks ruled out Landale for the rest of the regular season with a high ankle sprain. — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 30 June 2026 But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and yesterday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rule out

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rule out was circa 1658

Rhymes for rule out

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Browse Nearby Words

rule of two and three
rule out
rule out of
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rule out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rule%20out. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rule out

verb
: to eliminate the possibility of

More from Merriam-Webster on rule out

Nglish: Translation of rule out for Spanish Speakers

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