as in to reject
to decide that (something or someone) is wrong; to rule against (something or someone)
The judge overruled the objection. His conviction was overruled by the supreme court.
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Recent Examples of overrule
Residents have taken to the streets in recent days to protest the impending arrival of the MV Hondius to the Canary Islands, after the Spanish government overruled local leaders to grant permission for the ship to anchor offshore Sunday.
—
Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 9 May 2026
Accessibility Although there are areas where design overrules function, the majority of the resort meets ADA standards with ramps and wheelchair-friendly pathways.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
The court did not explicitly overrule the Voting Rights Act, but effectively rolled back an interpretation that has protected minority voting power in redistricting.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
In 2024, the court overruled a lower court’s finding of racial vote dilution in South Carolina.
—Sam D. Hayes, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overrule
Mirna Alsharif, NBC news, 9 May 2026
Accessibility Although there are areas where design overrules function, the majority of the resort meets ADA standards with ramps and wheelchair-friendly pathways.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026
The court did not explicitly overrule the Voting Rights Act, but effectively rolled back an interpretation that has protected minority voting power in redistricting.
—Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
In 2024, the court overruled a lower court’s finding of racial vote dilution in South Carolina.
—Sam D. Hayes, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overrule
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrule
Verb
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But Breakfield rejected that argument during sentencing.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
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Lower courts likely won't approve a measure that aims to circumvent a Supreme Court ruling and would probably reject any law that ties the provision of general government services to the behaviors of the recipients, Smith said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Verb
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The court recommended that the petition be dismissed, and that the organizations be given one month to submit the employee lists.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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Even the foundations of today’s artificial intelligence boom were laid by the NSF in the 1980s and 1990s, when neural networks were a backwater dismissed by mainstream computer science.—
Gautam Mukunda,
Twin Cities,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The medical providers Cole and Mosley accused denied wrongdoing.—
Jo Yurcaba,
NBC news,
16 May 2026
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Weinstein’s attorneys have denied that encounter ever took place, and have argued that the trial judge improperly withheld evidence that would have bolstered his alibi.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
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To add to the sense of chaos, a ballboy refused to give the ball to Middlesbrough’s Matt Targett — who began his career at Southampton — which led to another flare-up.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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When Warren’s editor sent galleys of the book to William Faulkner, seeking a blurb, Faulkner refused.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Verb
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They were given sixty days to cease operations and withdraw all international staff.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
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Inevitably, Kreutzer’s film was tarnished by association and even withdrawn from cinemas.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Ricketts faces four primary challengers of his own, but he's mostly ignored those rivals to put more attention towards Osborn in what could be a competitive race.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Common laundry habits — ignoring dryer vent buildup, leaving wet clothes in the washer, using hot water on everything and skipping the washing machine gasket — can damage appliances, ruin fabrics and even create a fire risk.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overrule.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrule. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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