ruler

noun

rul·​er ˈrü-lər How to pronounce ruler (audio)
1
: one that rules
specifically : sovereign
2
: a worker or a machine that rules paper
3
: a smooth-edged strip (as of wood or metal) that is usually marked off in units (such as inches) and is used as a straightedge or for measuring
rulership noun

Examples of ruler in a Sentence

a summit attended by a number of rulers from around the world This ruler shows inches and centimeters.
Recent Examples on the Web The group has only sent two tunes to the tally, with this latest win immediately becoming their first top 10, and now their only ruler. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The two men left Peshawar during the cataclysmic 1947 event known as Partition, when departing British rulers cleaved South Asia into a Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 Dune: Part Two sees that potential realized, transforming Paul from a stranger in a strange land into its messianic ruler. David Sims, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2024 Soon after, your Ascendant ruler, Mars, enters Pisces on the 22nd. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2024 Mell forged a new vision of Southwestern landscape, angular and striking, familiar but offbeat — like maybe if Picasso used a ruler. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 The movie plays like a screenwriting assignment, its three acts divided with a ruler. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 Its exact placement was mostly up to the current ruler, which caused the Roman calendar and solar year to slip out of sync. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 22 Feb. 2024 But after a mounting public outcry forced the country’s last military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, to resign in 2008, the military’s power calculus changed. Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruler.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruler was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ruler

Cite this Entry

“Ruler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruler. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ruler

noun
rul·​er ˈrü-lər How to pronounce ruler (audio)
1
2
: a straight strip of material (as wood or metal) marked off in units and used as a guide in drawing lines or for measuring

More from Merriam-Webster on ruler

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!