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
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
In the decade following the Russian Revolution of 1917, the new rulers imprisoned and executed thousands of Orthodox priests and bishops.
—
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Certainly, the Sino-Russian relationship is not without its strains, and existing tensions may be exacerbated as China grows more confident and is tempted to start bossing around the Russians in a more heavy-handed way—something that no ruler in Moscow would take lightly.
—Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
Chinese rulers have struggled for over 150 years with how much economic freedom to allow, and the debate under Xi Jinping is similar.
—Evan Osborne, National Review, 9 Apr. 2024
The larger-than-life image of MBS conveyed a message: The young ruler is the ultimate patron behind these ambitious projects.
—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
While things change over the decades within and without the walls of the Metropol — people grow up or grow old, rulers die and are replaced, relationships deepen among characters and characters relate differently to their circumstances — life goes on.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
When Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned, Putin was handed the presidency on the last day of 1999 and has since been leader of the Russian Federation for longer than any other ruler since Josef Stalin, besting even Leonid Brezhnev’s 1964-1982 tenure.
—USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024
And as Gaza’s deepening humanitarian plight hardens grassroots Arab views of Israel, a number of rulers in the region see Mr. Biden’s vision as the best – and perhaps the only – way of defusing the popular discontent that might threaten their leadership.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024
She has been targeted for kidnapping and murder by the rulers in Tehran.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 29 Mar. 2024
Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Certainly, the Sino-Russian relationship is not without its strains, and existing tensions may be exacerbated as China grows more confident and is tempted to start bossing around the Russians in a more heavy-handed way—something that no ruler in Moscow would take lightly.
—Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024
Chinese rulers have struggled for over 150 years with how much economic freedom to allow, and the debate under Xi Jinping is similar.
—Evan Osborne, National Review, 9 Apr. 2024
The larger-than-life image of MBS conveyed a message: The young ruler is the ultimate patron behind these ambitious projects.
—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2024
While things change over the decades within and without the walls of the Metropol — people grow up or grow old, rulers die and are replaced, relationships deepen among characters and characters relate differently to their circumstances — life goes on.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2024
When Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned, Putin was handed the presidency on the last day of 1999 and has since been leader of the Russian Federation for longer than any other ruler since Josef Stalin, besting even Leonid Brezhnev’s 1964-1982 tenure.
—USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024
And as Gaza’s deepening humanitarian plight hardens grassroots Arab views of Israel, a number of rulers in the region see Mr. Biden’s vision as the best – and perhaps the only – way of defusing the popular discontent that might threaten their leadership.
—Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024
She has been targeted for kidnapping and murder by the rulers in Tehran.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 29 Mar. 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.
Dictionary Entries Near ruler
Cite this Entry
“Ruler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruler. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ruler
noun
rul·er
ˈrü-lər 
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
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