RULING OUT Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

ruling out

verb

present participle of rule out

as in excluding

to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of another loss would rule them out of the tournament

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of ruling out Additional checkpoints may help identify gaps or inconsistencies, ruling out the bad actors. — John Bou, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 Additional observations steadily refined the asteroid's orbit, eliminating any possibility of a collision in 2029 and also ruling out any impact threat for at least the next century, according to NASA. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 6 July 2026 After ruling out all other possibilities, Dhingra finally diagnosed Williams with IC‑MPGN, a kidney disease related to the immune system. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 27 June 2026 Boston is not ruling out the idea is my intel. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026 But in the decades since PBHs were first proposed, astronomers found clever ways to narrow down their plausible range of masses, ruling out many scenarios in which these black holes could account for dark matter. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 4 June 2026 Many researchers think quantum computers are at an advantage here, because the process of classically ruling out insignificant configurations can get prohibitively difficult. — Quanta Magazine, 29 May 2026 Investigators are not ruling out weather or any other contributing factors. — Francie Ebert, NBC news, 16 May 2026 Bonta, a Democrat, is running for another four-year term after ruling out a run for governor amid questions about his involvement in an FBI East Bay corruption case. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruling out

Verb

This includes accommodation and meals, all soft and alcoholic drinks (excluding French champagne) including cellar collection wines, cocktails and single-malt whiskeys, laundry service, lodge activities, massage and spa treatments.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 July 2026
Heatwaves and rising temperatures in some of Lindt's core European markets could impact chocolate demand, with European sales excluding Eastern Europe, declining in the four weeks ending June 14, the analysts said.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 26 July 2026

Definition of excluding

Verb

French lawmakers are racing against the clock to reach a compromise that would allow a bill banning social media for children under 15 to possibly enter into force at the start of the new school year in September.

— Samuel Petrequin, Fortune, 20 July 2026
What’s to stop Morocco, co-host of the 2030 tournament, from banning officials and players from Algeria over the two countries’ territorial dispute in the Western Sahara?

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of banning

Verb

And the Cup created new stars, like 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, who gained millions of Instagram followers after shutting out Spain.

— Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026
Spain was riding high ahead of Sunday’s match after shutting out France in a 2-0 semifinals win on Tuesday, July 14.

— Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026

Definition of shutting out

Verb

The Democratic Party’s nightmare scenario would involve both Republican candidates advancing to November’s general election, freezing out Democrats from the governor’s office for the first time since 2011.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
Minnesota officials said on Thursday that the FBI is taking the lead on the investigation and freezing out state investigators.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026

Definition of freezing out

Verb

Rinehart, a veteran of political and issue-advocacy campaigns, was a former swimmer at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, which proposed eliminating the sport in 2013 amid a campus budget shortfall.

— Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 23 July 2026
Banks previously responded to the 2010 measure on debit card swipe fees by eliminating rewards for those cards, and opponents are afraid credit cards will follow.

— Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of eliminating

Verb

The bill was supposed to go into effect July 1, but a judge issued a preliminary injunction days before, barring enforcement in some situations, but not completely.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2026
The agreement is a tacit acknowledgement that that will not happen, barring a settlement with the states.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 July 2026

Definition of barring

Browse Nearby Words

ruling (on)

ruling out

rulings

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“Ruling out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruling%20out. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of ruling out

verb

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