as in to exclude
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of
another loss would rule them out of the tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of rule out
Doncic was diagnosed with his second significant hamstring injury on Friday, while Reaves had an MRI on Saturday and was subsequently ruled out by the Lakers, who play at Dallas on Sunday.
—
ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Veteran guard Marcus Smart was officially ruled out for the Dallas game on Saturday – his seventh consecutive game missed – while forward Jarred Vanderbilt was added to the injury report as questionable with right calf soreness.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Adelman didn’t rule out the possibility that Watson could return before the end of the regular season, but Denver has only five games remaining, followed by a few days of rest and preparation for a first-round playoff series that was clinched this week.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Despite Anderson’s wishes, Howe has ruled out any sort of a reunion.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rule out
ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Veteran guard Marcus Smart was officially ruled out for the Dallas game on Saturday – his seventh consecutive game missed – while forward Jarred Vanderbilt was added to the injury report as questionable with right calf soreness.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Adelman didn’t rule out the possibility that Watson could return before the end of the regular season, but Denver has only five games remaining, followed by a few days of rest and preparation for a first-round playoff series that was clinched this week.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 3 Apr. 2026
Despite Anderson’s wishes, Howe has ruled out any sort of a reunion.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rule out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rule out
Verb
-
The Eagles had in mind city-dwelling male breadwinners and excluded household and domestic work from their vision of who was among the deserving.—
Trevor Jackson,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Baldwin excluded, the top of the Braves lineup still has some work to do.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The country’s then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, even went as far as issuing a fatwa, or legal ruling under Islamic law, banning them.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
-
North Korea banned all foreign tourists during the pandemic but has started easing the restrictions, with a Russian tour group entering the country in 2024.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In 2020, the Legislature passed a law barring trans women and girls from participating in women’s and girls sports.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The no-fuss interior is pretty sparse, bar a handful of tables and small wine cabinet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Now, there's a push to eliminate the primary and allow voters to choose more than one candidate.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The question, then, is not how to eliminate extraction, but how to recognize it as a metabolic relation.—
Manuela Moscoso,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
After the offense was shut out on four hits in Tuesday night’s 2-0 loss to the Angels, Counsell shuffled the lineup.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Brooke Bereuter was masterful in goal for Grapevine shutting out Argyle (18-4-3) until the shootout, including stopping a key penalty kick in the first half.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Democratic Party’s nightmare scenario would involve both Republican candidates advancing to November’s general election, freezing out Democrats from the governor’s office for the first time since 2011.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Crespo told us that, yes indeed, he’s still frozen out of the caucus.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Having legal documents on hand, at a lawyer’s office or in a file cabinet not only provides peace of mind, but can prevent conflict and legal fees when tragedy or challenges arise.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The president has repeatedly said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was the war's top objective.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The city agreed, reducing maximum e-bike speeds to 15 mph on city trails, prohibiting e-bikes on sidewalks and imposing penalties.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The church, built on what is revered by many Christians as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection, remains closed under Israeli military guidelines prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rule out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rule%20out. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
