as in rejects
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 overrules
The appellate court's decision overrules a lower court judge who refused to dismiss Gary's lawsuit last year, leading gun manufacturers to appeal.
—
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 79, overrules local zoning to boost development in busy areas of the Golden State, allowing developers to build tall apartment and condo buildings of up to nine stories in single-family areas near certain transit stops.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The decision overrules a lower court's decision that had blocked USAID cuts.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 79, overrules local zoning to boost development in busy areas of the Golden State, allowing developers to build tall apartment and condo buildings of up to nine stories in single-family areas near certain transit stops.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The decision overrules a lower court's decision that had blocked USAID cuts.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrules
Verb
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And top-down impositions could also be painted as less democratic, because the state essentially rejects the self-determination of local communities to oppose new developments.—
Greg Rosalsky,
NPR,
24 Feb. 2026
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While Russia rejects the court’s jurisdiction, attacks on objects indispensable to civilian survival are prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and customary international law.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump, naturally, dismisses any negative indicators in surveys.—
Jonathan Lemire,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
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Henry dismisses Yasmin but can’t shake the niggling feeling that his wife isn’t entirely wrong.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Gates has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein and denies any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The Afghan Taliban denies hosting its Pakistani namesake.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The extended rave scene establishes the tone in a film that refuses to parallel park into a specific genre or, for that matter, stick to storytelling norms and expectations.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
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However, when an organisation like BAFTA, with its own long history of systemic racism, refuses to acknowledge the harm inflicted on both the Black and disabled communities and offer an appropriate apology, remaining involved would be tantamount to condoning its behaviour.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Still, the disagreements in the region have been hard to ignores.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
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Connecticut currently regulates licensed cannabis with a level of intensity that ignores relative risk.—
Rino Ferrarese,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overrules.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrules. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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