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
He was first ruled out for the 69-57 loss to Washington over the weekend.
—
Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Republicans are expected to have a much easier time retaining the Senate than the House, but a loss can’t be ruled out.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
His pediatrician ordered a stool sample to rule out foodborne illness.
—Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 17 Feb. 2026
Tiger Woods won’t rule out the 2026 Masters despite recovering from October disc replacement surgery and missing the entire 2025 season.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rule out
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Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Republicans are expected to have a much easier time retaining the Senate than the House, but a loss can’t be ruled out.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
His pediatrician ordered a stool sample to rule out foodborne illness.
—Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 17 Feb. 2026
Tiger Woods won’t rule out the 2026 Masters despite recovering from October disc replacement surgery and missing the entire 2025 season.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
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 18 Feb. 2026.
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