as in decides
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 rules (on)
Verb
-
Perhaps general manager Brett Veach decides to trade down.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026 -
As a way to claim his inheritance, Becket decides to get rid of every other Redfellow in line for it.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The state Judicial Council determines how many judges a county Superior Court needs, but those calculations may not account for time- and resource-intensive motions filed under laws such as California’s Mental Health Diversion Act or the Racial Justice Act, Wilson said.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Most homes benefit from professional duct cleaning every three to five years, adds Scott Eyman, project manager at Eyman Plumbing, Heating, and Air—but your situation determines the actual schedule.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Alongside him, judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie will return for their second year as a trio.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Feb. 2026
-
His component score, which judges a skater’s composition, presentation and skating skills each up to 10 points, also was higher than every other competitor.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But even the happiest houseplants can lose their luster when a fine layer of dust settles across their leaves.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The individual eventually settles on some greenery found in the yard.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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
“Rules (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rules%20%28on%29. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
