as in to decide
to give an opinion about (something at issue or in dispute)
the coach ruled on the question of whether an off-campus bar fight ought to disqualify someone from the team
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rule (on)
Verb
-
Others believed Los Angeles should have put the deciding play in quarterback Matthew Stafford's hands.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025 -
When seeking to prosecute someone, a state attorney can file charges against them or choose to present evidence before a grand jury, composed of citizens who then must decide whether there is probable cause to issue an indictment and move to a trial.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Currently, there is no information on the containment of the fire and the cause of it has yet to be determined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Experts determined that Gaza City had slid into famine shortly before Israel launched its major offensive there aimed at occupying it.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
After just a few minutes on each arm, the soreness had noticeably decreased, and my arms looked more defined and less puffy, especially near the underarm area where water retention tends to settle.—
Francesca Krempa,
StyleCaster,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Skipping regular washes—Letting white towels sit too long between washes gives body oils, makeup, and mildew more time to settle into the fibers and stain them permanently.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Bowers if officially listed as questionable with a knee injury for Vegas’ game at Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend, but judging by what happened on Friday, his chances of playing on Sunday look awfully grim.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Contestants were evaluated on more than just their runway presence — they were judged on communication skills, language ability, etiquette and physical fitness.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Rule (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rule%20%28on%29. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share