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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rule (on)
Verb
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Beard was a finalist for the UAB head coaching job, but the school decided to elevate interim head coach Alex Mortensen — son of late ESPN NFL reporter Chris Mortensen.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025 -
As the ancient world collides with the present, Lara must decide who to trust among rivals and allies to prevent a catastrophe and protect a secret that could reshape the future.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the sheriff's department will determine whether to file charges, including murder, in the case.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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His preliminary cause of death has been determined to be head trauma, the coroner's office said.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Serpell revels in all of the complications and contradictions of Toni Morrison, treating her subject with both reverence and even some skepticism and never settling for the easy conclusion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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Big names are coming out to try to settle the fanbase before the game, including the likes of Ben Stiller and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.—
Amethyst Martinez,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
Verb
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But leaders often judge accessibility from their own intentions.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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But judging by what could happen to Social Security, the urgency of shifting your money out of this account type is even more pronounced now.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Rule (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rule%20%28on%29. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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