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

Example Sentences

another loss would rule them out of the tournament

Recent Examples on the Web

Sean Ebony Coleman, a trans activist and founder of the LGBTQ+ center Destination Tomorrow in New York, said policymakers — particularly on a national level — need to completely rule out any option for trans people to be further ostracized. —Sean Murphy, Hannah Schoenbaum, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Apr. 2023

Tonight: Can’t rule out an evening shower or thunderstorm mainly north of D.C. —Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2023

Police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old transgender and did not rule out that gender identity may have been a factor in a manifesto that was left behind, but network executives issued a memo to employees urging them to stay away from such coverage, according to The New York Post. —Fox News, 31 Mar. 2023

That view echoes other experts who don’t necessarily rule out de-extinction but also see its justifiable use as limited. —Alessandro Clemente, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2023

Widhani does not rule out delving into other facets of the studio’s history for future shows. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Mar. 2023

The connection speed in most modern wireless models and wired options is virtually identical, so even if low latency is a priority for you, this doesn’t rule out wireless options for most users. —Tom Price, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023

Yet Karen Meech, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, doesn’t rule out a simpler explanation. —Byjonathan O’callaghan, science.org, 22 Mar. 2023

The designation on their daily injury report marked the first time since Doncic’s absence started March 11 that the team didn’t automatically rule out Doncic the day before a game. —Callie Caplan, Dallas News, 19 Mar. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

rule out

verb

: to eliminate the possibility of