1
as in sentence
a decision made by a court or tribunal regarding a case it has heard
the controversial ruling by the state's supreme court caused an uproar
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in decree
an order publicly issued by an authority
the FCC's ruling regarding the broadcasting of obscenities
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people
the ruling opinion on premarital sex
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over
a sea captain who ruled his ship sternly but justly
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in controlling
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
a monarch who is known for ruling her emotions with an iron hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ruling
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
But the ball unintentionally touched multiple players before, and a slight head touch led to the ruling.
—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
10 Dec. 2025
Mali’s ruling junta responded to an al-Qaida affiliate’s fuel blockade by shuttering all schools until mid-November, the latest sign of instability in the West African country.
—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Jenny Vaughan,
semafor.com,
29 June 2026
Referee João Pinheiro waved away calls for a penalty and was backed by the video assistant referee, ruling that Laryea initiated the contact.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruling
Noun
Its rulings on which countries’ markets count as developed, emerging, frontier, or standalone are watched from Bulgaria to Indonesia, and its offerings now span risk management tools and climate and sustainability data.
—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
But the ball unintentionally touched multiple players before, and a slight head touch led to the ruling.
—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
Adjective
Machado recounted a teacher who convinced her local ruling-party captain to support the opposition after her son, living in Peru, urged her to vote for change.
—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
10 Dec. 2025
Mali’s ruling junta responded to an al-Qaida affiliate’s fuel blockade by shuttering all schools until mid-November, the latest sign of instability in the West African country.
—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
The leader of Uganda’s military — who is also the son of the country’s long-ruling president — ordered the closure of two of the country’s biggest media outlets, in the latest signs of democratic erosion in Africa.
—
Jenny Vaughan,
semafor.com,
29 June 2026
Referee João Pinheiro waved away calls for a penalty and was backed by the video assistant referee, ruling that Laryea initiated the contact.
—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruling
Noun
-
His use of the presidency’s sweeping ability to unilaterally grant pardons and commute sentences is among the ways the Republican’s return to office has featured an expansive use of executive power.
-
The pair, who were detained in March, had already spent four months in prison prior to the punishment, which ultimately reduced their sentence from 25 lashes to 21, the AP said.
Noun
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Rodriguez said during the press conference that her government issued an emergency decree to activate civil protection and emergency protocols within hours of the tremors.
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Vatican decree targeted bishops and faithful In a decree, the Vatican excommunicated the four new bishops and the two existing SSPX bishops who participated in the ceremony.
Adjective
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The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
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Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
Verb
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Still, with some four months until the election, polling shows Eisenkot is far from securing a decisive victory or having an easy path to a governing coalition.
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Rather, verifying, governing and trusting the code that AI produces is the true challenge.
Verb
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The Argentine legend unlocked the Cape Verde defense in the 29th minute, controlling a long diagonal pass with one touch in the box and promptly flicking it over the head of a charging Vozinha.
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Intelligent power switches can monitor electrical flow while controlling loads more efficiently.
Noun
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At the end of a two-week trial, the verdict went strongly in favor of Maria Avila, who was viciously attacked by Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd owned by Brown, while emptying trash outside the singer’s Tarzana, California house.
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The honest version of this story sets a threshold rather than a verdict.
Noun
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Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse The highly agile Getty shooter Alan Crowhurst has done us a great favor by bringing concrete cloakroom evidence of the many social and administrative challenges that the (famous) Royal Ascot costume edicts require in order to be properly met.
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The memorandum includes a pledge by Iran to never purchase or construct nuclear weapons — a vow the Islamic Republic has made multiple times before, including by signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in a religious edict issued by the late supreme leader and in the Obama-era nuclear accord.
Adjective
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Little’s lack of response to a possible return that offseason resulted in general manager Ned Colletti pursuing other options.
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While unions secured general salary increases last year to offset the salary reductions associated with the leave program, the agreements did not include similar increases in July 2026.
Cite this Entry
“Ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruling. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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