rule out
verb
ruled out; ruling out; rules out
2
: to make impossible : prevent
Heavy rain ruled out the picnic.
Examples of rule out in a Sentence
another loss would rule them out of the tournament
Recent Examples on the Web
Goalkeeper Alisson and right-back Jeremie Frimpong have been ruled out until after the international break due to hamstring injuries.
—
James Pearce, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
After initially suspecting a bullet or debris flicked up by a truck, the police ruled out both.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
As for injuries, McDaniel did not rule out cornerback Rasul Douglas (toe) for the Bills game.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Sacramento’s starting lineup If Schroder is ruled out, Russell Westbrook will probably start at point guard.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rule out
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.
James Pearce, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
After initially suspecting a bullet or debris flicked up by a truck, the police ruled out both.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2025
As for injuries, McDaniel did not rule out cornerback Rasul Douglas (toe) for the Bills game.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Sacramento’s starting lineup If Schroder is ruled out, Russell Westbrook will probably start at point guard.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rule out
Cite this Entry
“Rule out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rule%20out. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share