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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Because Gateway cousin track New Hampshire kicks off the next round, and another cousin track, Phoenix, decides the championship.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025 -
Dexter decides to gather all the files on him and other killers to take with him.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Employee feedback determines the winners.—
Julia Sullivan,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Mental discipline determines long-term success more than market knowledge.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Your point about being present reminds me of the scene where Jack judges the girl for taking a selfie on the rooftop and Heather calls him out.—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
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As the performance came to its colorful conclusion, judges Simon Cowell and Spice Girl Mel B were immediately on the feet.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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When the smoke settles (quite literally) and people return, their bodies suffer the consequences, and our hospitals have the evidence.—
Lahari Vuppaladhadiam,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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That settles into a spicy suede with cardamom and benzoin, before warming into tonka bean, amber, and musk.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
5 Sep. 2025
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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 7 Sep. 2025.
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