rule out

verb

ruled out; ruling out; rules out

transitive verb

1

: exclude, eliminate

2

: to make impossible : prevent

heavy rain ruled out the picnic

Synonyms

• ban
• bar
• close out
• count (out)
• debar
• eliminate
• except
• exclude
• freeze out
• shut out

Examples of rule out in a Sentence

another loss would rule them out of the tournament

Recent Examples on the Web

The only state with both Kroger and Albertsons stores to rule out further action was Utah, which has dozens of Kroger stores (mostly under the Smith's banner) but hardly any Albertsons stores. —Alexander Coolidge, The Courier-Journal, 12 June 2024

The president also ruled out a pardon in the event of a conviction. —Linda Feldmann, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 June 2024

Meanwhile, there’s a growing tendency in emergency medicine toward quickly ruling out the big, scary conditions such as ischemic heart disease, pulmonary embolism, and deep vein thrombosis, among others. —Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2024

The couple is parents to sons Jackson and Josiah and daughter Lilah Zach and Tori Roloff aren't ruling out other forms of education. —Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 30 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rule out

verb

: to eliminate the possibility of