rule out

verb

ruled out; ruling out; rules out

transitive verb

1

: exclude, eliminate

They were ruled out as candidates for the job.

2

: to make impossible : prevent

Heavy rain ruled out the picnic.

Synonyms of rule out

• exclude
• ban
• bar
• eliminate
• shut out
• freeze out
• prevent
• prohibit

Examples of rule out in a Sentence

another loss would rule them out of the tournament

Recent Examples on the Web

Many hunters were in the area on the day she was killed but investigators ruled out an accidental shooting as the cause of death, police said, per the The News Journal. —Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025

He was later ruled out with an ankle injury and was spotted in the locker room with a walking boot on his right foot and a crutch. —Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 24 Nov. 2025

Starting center Deandre Ayton (two points and three rebounds in 14 minutes) didn’t play in the second half and was ruled out of the game during the third quarter because of a right knee contusion. —Khobi Price, Oc Register, 24 Nov. 2025

The comments, while not ruling out a troop deployment, signal Trump is warming to Mamdani after a surprisingly friendly meeting between the two. —Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rule out

• roundabout
• runabout
• sauerkraut
• thereabout
• turnabout
• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout

Kids Definition

rule out

verb

: to eliminate the possibility of