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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of ruling
Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 10 June 2026
But Uber suspended that program in California following a 2024 ruling by the California Public Utilities Commission, the company said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
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
Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Earlier this year, a federal judge in New York said prosecutors could not seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, ruling that stalking did not count as a violent crime.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruling
Noun
The ruling, issued Tuesday, permanently prevents the state from putting Jeffrey Lee, 49, to death using nitrogen gas.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 10 June 2026
But Uber suspended that program in California following a 2024 ruling by the California Public Utilities Commission, the company said.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 10 June 2026
Adjective
Machado recounted a teacher who convinced her local ruling-party captain to support the opposition after her son, living in Peru, urged her to vote for change.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Dec. 2025
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
Verb
Those smashes spent 14 periods ruling and jointly claim the distinction of being the fifth-longest-running chart-toppers of all time.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Earlier this year, a federal judge in New York said prosecutors could not seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, ruling that stalking did not count as a violent crime.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruling
Noun
-
Regulators rarely write sentences that honest.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
That was the Knicks in one sentence.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
In 1954, Khrushchev issued a decree where Crimea was legally transferred from the Russian Soviet Republic to the Ukrainian Soviet Republic.—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final.—
Dan Sheehan,
Literary Hub,
11 Aug. 2025
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
-
Within a year, authorities must regulate procedures governing the country’s cattle identification and traceability systems and establish due diligence requirements for deforestation-free cattle ranching.—
Steven Grattan,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
-
At the center are the lawmaking and governing institutions.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
However, there's a significant difference between containing and controlling a wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Key Takeaways Drinking orange juice regularly may help improve heart health by controlling blood pressure and reducing inflammation.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The insurrection verdict has been appealed by both Yoon and prosecutors, who had sought the death penalty.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
-
Just a week after the collapse of the Broadview Six case, a jury in Spokane, Washington, returned guilty verdicts in a similar conspiracy case against anti-ICE protesters, which the district’s chief prosecutor had resigned rather than pursue.—
Quinta Jurecic,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Bondi, appearing with Trump at a triumphant White House news conference, was asked whether the Justice Department would enforce the edict in states where it had not been struck down.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
-
The episode is a reminder that the edicts of one administration can be revisited by the next.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
In general, this applies to women 25 and older who are due for screening and do not have symptoms suggestive of cervical cancer, such as unexplained vaginal bleeding or discharge.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
11 Dec. 2025
-
The dispute between Shalom and its neighbors has renewed scrutiny of the zoo and private ownership of exotic animals in general.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruling. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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