rules out

verb

present tense third-person singular of rule out
as in excludes
to prevent the participation, consideration, or inclusion of another loss would rule them out of the tournament

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 rules out But at the prospect of engagement dropping by even one percent, Zuckerberg rules out any serious measures against content violation, making Charlie furious by refusing to consider policing political ads for falsehoods. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 Well, there are some rules out there already in terms of states requiring that companies list salary ranges in the job descriptions. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 Something so bright isn’t fueled with nuclear fusion, which rules out traditional stellar objects. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 12 Aug. 2026 The statute rules out radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures. — Zuri Primos july 25, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026 The paper also rules out a competing explanation. — Paul Sutter, Space.com, 9 June 2026 And to me, that’s very alien to imagine that the Universe could be not following some laws, that there isn’t some set of rules out there that determines what really happens? — Big Think, 29 Oct. 2025 None of this rules out an agreement on Chinese investments in the US as part of a broader trade deal. — semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2025 That rules out fanciful speculation that the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Glen Powell, Austin Butler, Jacob Elordi and others who don’t hail from UK shores are in the running. — Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rules out
  1. excludes
  2. bans
  3. freezes out
  4. bars
  5. eliminates
  6. prevents
  7. prohibits
Verb
  • That figure excludes its largest heavy-duty trucks, which are classified differently.
    — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Per iSpot, the Kelces have accounted for nearly 14% of all ad airings featuring celebrity talent during NFL games thus far, a tally that excludes network promos, streaming show promos and trailers.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of excludes
Verb
  • The Stop Insider Trading Act, meanwhile, bans lawmakers and their spouses from buying stocks.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
  • World Rugby bans biological males from women's divisions, pointing to clear science showing extreme injury risks during hard tackles.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of bans
Verb
  • Apple's iPhone 18 Pro launch in September strategically freezes out competing Android smartphones.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Definition of freezes out
Verb
  • Immigration and the border California law bars local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials except in the cases of people convicted of certain high-level felonies.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The law bars discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs that receive federal money.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bars
Verb
  • Kwon said the South Korean military removed a North Korean minefield around the blast site on Monday and will remove other North Korean minefields placed south of the border unless North Korea voluntarily eliminates them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The New Advantages So how can small companies compete as AI eliminates the old advantages?
    — Bonnie Le Page, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of eliminates
Verb
  • Justices Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented, arguing that allowing the case to move forward prevents the lower court from considering Pike’s allegations from her childhood.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Newsom signed a similar bill that prevents federal agents from becoming police in California if their federal badge was revoked for misconduct.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of prevents
Verb
  • The law prohibits federal officials from stationing troops or armed personnel at polling places, except when necessary to repel armed enemies of the United States.
    — TIME Staff, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • California law allows police to share license plate reader data with other California public agencies, but prohibits sharing it with federal and out-of-state agencies.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of prohibits

Browse Nearby Words

rules (on)
rules out
ruling
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Cite this Entry

“Rules out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rules%20out. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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