rule out

verb

Definition of rule outnext
as in to exclude
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of another loss would rule them out of the tournament

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Biological warfare and vast economic disruptions cannot be ruled out. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026 Senior wide receiver Jordan Dwyer remains questionable, while senior edge rusher Zach Chapman was ruled out by head coach Sonny Dykes on Tuesday. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Sep. 2026 The Dodgers and Ohtani have all but ruled out his return to the mound this season. — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Brief heavy rain and a couple strong storms with gusty winds cannot be ruled out. — Cutter Martin, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rule out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rule out
  1. exclude
  2. ban
  3. bar
  4. eliminate
  5. shut out
  6. freeze out
  7. prevent
  8. prohibit
Verb
  • Yet only a few people have actually seen it, with smaller and open-source AI companies generally getting excluded from the administration’s conversations.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Bubeck allegedly wanted to exclude Alpöge, an employee of OpenAI’s competitor, according to Buckmaster.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of exclude
Verb
  • Denver Public Schools in Colorado has banned the popular chatbot ChatGPT but authorizes students to use an educational AI platform, MagicSchool, reported 9 News.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Traditional political parties were banned, and a council of locals began directly managing the town’s funds.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of ban
Verb
  • State law bars judges from adding items to the ballot after Tuesday, a tight deadline that could scramble Hanaway’s efforts to overturn the ruling.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The officers were all required to sign a confidentiality agreement that barred them from discussing candidates’ personal information with anyone outside the office.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of bar
Verb
  • Fitness testing eliminated NHL players were accustomed to returning from summer to a grueling set of tests from their teams.
    — Chris Johnston, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Bring up the unnecessary and wasteful government programs that should be eliminated.
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of eliminate
Verb
  • Meta supposedly favors Chinese resellers, because, without them, Meta would be shut out from billions in profits from the lucrative Chinese ad market, since its platforms are banned there.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Sofia has strong feelings about the ultra-rich looking out for themselves as the world teeters toward disaster, shutting out everyone else.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of shut out
Verb
  • About Premium Content has Country Spy, a light crime series about Marie-Line Maupain, a spy for the French secret service who is abruptly frozen out by her superiors and sent back to her home town.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
  • He was subsequently frozen out of the Chelsea squad to begin the following season before joining West Ham in January.
    — Sam Joseph, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of freeze out
Verb
  • One of the Constitution’s founding purposes was to prevent change.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The coalition struck the runway in Sanaa, preventing the flight from landing.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of prevent
Verb
  • Beachgoers are now prohibited from smoking cigarettes or using e-cigarettes and vaping devices on public beaches in Indian Rocks Beach.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The method is prohibited by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), however, and also by the BBBofC if the volume delivered exceeds 100ml within a 12-hour period.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of prohibit

Browse Nearby Words

rule (on)
rule out
ruler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rule out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rule%20out. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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