RULES Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

rules 1 of 2

noun

plural of rule

as in regulations

a statement spelling out the proper procedure or conduct for an activity read the rules that are posted before you use the pool

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Relevance

as in governments

lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation) the years during which Russia was under Communist rule

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as in traditions

an inherited or established way of thinking, feeling, or doing one of the sacred rules of that ancient society was respect for the elderly

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rules

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rule

as in governs

to exercise authority or power over a sea captain who ruled his ship sternly but justly

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as in controls

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) a monarch who is known for ruling her emotions with an iron hand

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of rules

Noun

As the United Kingdom works to make online spaces safer for children through age verification methods, kids are finding creative ways to skirt the rules, including drawing on facial hair to dupe facial recognition systems. —

Drew Pittock, USA Today, 10 May 2026 One of the simplest rules for a quieter stay is to choose a cabin surrounded by other guest accommodation. —

David Nikel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 Per Facebook rules, this Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Facebook. —

AJC.com, 10 May 2026 State leaders responded by launching a multi-agency misconduct database known as SEMARC and expanding reporting rules. —

Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 10 May 2026 In the past couple of years, Indiana has seen about 60 data center companies come to the state with little local government rules about the developments, according to data from the Citizens Action Coalition. —

Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026 Our justice system depends on public confidence, and, as a result, the rules governing lawyers in every state are strict. —

The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 Portofino, on Italy's other coast, added new rules to manage the behavior of those already there. —

Seth Doane, CBS News, 3 May 2026 Missouri would be the only state in the country with such a requirement, called a concurrent majority, according to a review of state ballot measure rules compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures. —

Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 May 2026

Verb

In a game-changing shake-up of the eligibility rules for the non-English languagecategory, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has expanded the options for submission. —

Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 May 2026 If the jury rules in his favor, a second phase of the case would determine any financial damages. —

Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026 Also, now is a time for kids, as this lunation rules children. —

Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026 But spending money on an international force while opening the door for mass deportations of TPS-holders back to the country – if that’s how the court rules – could be counterproductive to that aim. —

Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026 Paradoxes and Doubt The late 1800s were a time of paradoxes and doubt, the result of mathematicians beginning to search for cohesive ideas about what rules the mathematical universe obeyed. —

Quanta Magazine, 29 Apr. 2026 About 19 additional cities and villages would qualify for the golf cart rules extension, the bill's analysis says. —

Paula Wethington, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026 If the judge rules in favor of Musk, OpenAI’s business could be dealt a significant blow, opening the door to other AI industry rivals like Musk’s xAI. —

David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 28 Apr. 2026 The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), whose eVTOL rules the CAA has adopted, built a single new rule book. —

Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rules

Noun

Managers at various locations have already lifted prohibitions on hunting stands that damage trees and training hunting dogs, using vehicles to retrieve animals and hunting along trails, according to an NPCA review of site regulations the organization recently performed after learning of the order.

— Todd Richmond, Twin Cities, 8 May 2026
Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA is widely expected to be more competitive next season — from the bottom tier, where anti-tanking regulations and a weaker draft class should curb teams’ intentional losing, to the upper echelons, where Oklahoma City and San Antonio stand tall.

— Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 8 May 2026