overrule

verb

Definition of overrulenext
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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 overrule The Senate, Electoral College and other compromises enabled the few to overrule the many in ways that still cripple national action. — Max Taves, Mercury News, 3 July 2026 Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that Congress overruled Dred Scott with the 1866 Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 July 2026 That invisible market sits in the room and quietly overrules the mission, meeting after meeting, until the mission is gone. — Kyle Westaway, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 But an appeals court effectively overruled that decision in an opinion written by current Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor. — Matt Baker, New York Times, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for overrule
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrule
  1. reject
  2. dismiss
  3. deny
  4. refuse
  5. withdraw
  6. ignore
Verb
  • What’s troubling to me, besides the obvious, is the insistence on finding a way to continue to eat animals if your body starts to reject them.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • Energy and shipping companies have loudly rejected a similar idea from Iran, under which ships would pay a toll in order to pass through the critical waterway.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 13 July 2026
Definition of reject
Verb
  • The case had not gone to trial yet, and the charges were dismissed Wednesday as a result of his death, records show.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • He was charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and DUI causing injury, but the second charge was later dismissed after the substances tested for were not found to be present in his blood, the statement at the time read.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • Along with denying the request from the Carr brothers, Kelly last month denied a clemency request for Olathe serial killer John Robinson.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
  • He also was denied medical treatment despite developing infections and other health complications while imprisoned.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • Vehicle stops can be inherently fraught and unpredictable, with the person behind the wheel in control of thousands of pounds of steel that can pose great risk should a driver refuse to comply or simply panic and flee.
    — Caroll Alvarado, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • There was more talk of hitting a provisional, but Spieth refused.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of refuse
Verb
  • When asked if the lawsuits involving Davis’ fees would be withdrawn, a spokesperson for Grapevine-Colleyville said the school board is reviewing the invoices, and the district couldn’t speculate before that process is complete.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • The reforms include winding down mRNA vaccine development, withdrawing funding for an international vaccine alliance and tightening access to COVID shots.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • The suspect allegedly attempted to flee again by jumping fences and ignoring the officers’ commands to stop, but was apprehended and placed in custody.
    — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 16 July 2026
  • But aside from dispatching shotgun-toting police agents to keep an eye on them, Venezuelan authorities mostly ignored the protesters.
    — John Otis, NPR, 16 July 2026
Definition of ignore

Browse Nearby Words

overrode
overrule
overruled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overrule.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrule. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on overrule

Nglish: Translation of overrule for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All