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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Carolyn decides to attend Rory’s wedding.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026 -
This is the kind of error that looks obvious in retrospect and invisible until someone decides to check.—
Paul M. Sutter,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Smith, the Baylor Scott & White spokeswoman, said the hospital determines financial assistance eligibility when a patient applies for it.—
Gretchen Morgenson,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
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And when that happens, timing—not just direction—determines the outcome.—
byDoug Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The program, which launched last month, gave half a dozen Los Angeles County civil court judges access to AI software called Learned Hand.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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With that in mind, here are the top 10 starters with at least 100 pitches thrown this spring so far, ranked by Stuff+, which judges pitches by their physical qualities alone.—
Eno Sarris,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And always vacuum up the dust that settles on the floor afterwards.—
Sunshine Flint,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
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Once this bet settles within 30 days, your $365 in bonus bets will be credited automatically.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 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 3 Apr. 2026.
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