1
as in sentence
a decision made by a court or tribunal regarding a case it has heard
the controversial ruling by the state's supreme court caused an uproar
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in decree
an order publicly issued by an authority
the FCC's ruling regarding the broadcasting of obscenities
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people
the ruling opinion on premarital sex
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in governing
to exercise authority or power over
a sea captain who ruled his ship sternly but justly
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in controlling
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
a monarch who is known for ruling her emotions with an iron hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ruling
Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 20 May 2026
Tangent Trump reportedly urged Thune to fire MacDonough after her Saturday ruling on the ballroom funding, NOTUS reported, citing two unnamed sources.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
How would the new ruling impact DACA recipients and first-time applicants?
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
By ruling that such race-conscious compliance is unconstitutional, the Court hollowed out one of the most powerful applications of the Voting Rights Act, causing redistricting efforts to soar in states around the country before the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in southern states.
—Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruling
Noun
The Supreme Court's recent ruling threatens the power of racial-minority voters in Voting Rights Act cases about not just Congress, but also at least 17 state and local governments, NPR finds.
—Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 20 May 2026
Tangent Trump reportedly urged Thune to fire MacDonough after her Saturday ruling on the ballroom funding, NOTUS reported, citing two unnamed sources.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Adjective
Mali’s ruling junta responded to an al-Qaida affiliate’s fuel blockade by shuttering all schools until mid-November, the latest sign of instability in the West African country.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
How would the new ruling impact DACA recipients and first-time applicants?
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Viola’s reaction spotlighted growing frustration among competitors who believe the ruling body is using procedural fixes to avoid addressing biological differences in girls' sports.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
By ruling that such race-conscious compliance is unconstitutional, the Court hollowed out one of the most powerful applications of the Voting Rights Act, causing redistricting efforts to soar in states around the country before the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in southern states.
—Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruling
Noun
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Her caution might also have stemmed from the knowledge that Denise and Mohamed were nearing the end of their sentences.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
According to Le Figaro, at an unrelated hearing, a judge who served on Ted Maher's case had claimed Ted's sentence had been predetermined before the trial even began.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
Noun
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The second decree establishes guidelines for the protection of women in the digital environment.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
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An outside monitor was assigned to send progress reports to the judge overseeing the decree to ensure the city is complying with it.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.—
Betsy Golden Kellem,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, only one in five companies has a mature model for governing autonomous AI agents, even as agentic AI usage is poised to rise sharply, per the same report.—
Shiv Kaushik,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Reliance on external infrastructure therefore risks leaving African countries dependent not only on foreign technology providers, but on foreign legal frameworks governing sensitive health information.—
Francisca Mutapi,
semafor.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Speculation about the sale of Missoni began circulating in January, and in March, the brand announced that FSI would become the controlling shareholder.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
-
He is used to controlling everyone with money, threats, or a combination of both.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
Noun
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Andy Gall today and as a rookie patrolman For Gall, who was just a rookie that September day in 1979, the verdict closed a very big circle.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Becky Hill reads Alex Murdaugh 2023 guilty verdict In 2023, Murdaugh was convicted of gunning down his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s hunting estate in 2021.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The edict that journalists be accompanied at all times while on Pentagon grounds was introduced in March after a judge struck down an earlier set of restrictions.—
Scott Nover,
Washington Post,
18 May 2026
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The Chargers’ last game was a playoff loss to Vrabel’s Patriots, so nothing short of an edict from the NFL probably would have stopped the franchise’s social media team from referencing the Vrabel-Russini controversy.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The general manager praised Levshunov as the total package after that draft.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
Borgonzoni, who oversees the country’s cinema department and is a staunch local film and TV industry advocate, underlined that all IGS screenings and masterclasses are open to the general audience free of charge.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruling. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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