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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rules (on)
Verb
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Elle Fanning stars as Margo Millet, an aspiring writer who decides to make money fast via OnlyFans; Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman play her parents, a former Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026 -
Chandler Levack‘s new film is structured like a Russian nesting doll of roommate stories, as the two girls are confronted by a guidance counselor who decides to tell them another story of freshman year roommates who didn’t get along at first.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The national herd size isn't the only factor that determines what beef costs at the grocery store.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Last year, given the same week off as the Play-In Tournament determines the seventh and eighth seeds in each conference, the Lakers suffered a lopsided 117-95 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 of their first-round series.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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American Idol judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan reacted to Seacrest’s on-air announcement with a mix of shock and confusion.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 Apr. 2026
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In episode three, Mary judges Eleanor pretty harshly for her choices with Robert.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The agreement to restore the flag settles the lawsuit.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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While the daily hustle is just beginning for many, evidenced by the amount of foot traffic spotted passing by through the glass windows of the hotel’s restaurant, Jeff Peterson settles in to momentarily enjoy the Hornets’ metamorphosis and enthusiasm engulfing the franchise.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Rules (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rules%20%28on%29. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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