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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Defendants have a right to have a preliminary hearing, in which a judge determines whether prosecutors have enough evidence to bring a case to trial, within 10 business days.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Details of the agreement are expected to be outlined in court during Thursday’s hearing, when Loloee formally admits guilt and the judge determines whether to accept the plea.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
22 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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Showers will linger into early Friday, when cooler air settles in.—
Joseph Dames,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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The latter song exemplifies Martin’s neck-snappingly furious style; his drumming simply never settles.—
Dean Van Nguyen,
Pitchfork,
22 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 25 Apr. 2026.
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