rule out
verb
ruled out; ruling out; rules out
2
: to make impossible : prevent
heavy rain ruled out the picnic
Synonyms
Examples of rule out in a Sentence
another loss would rule them out of the tournament
Recent Examples on the Web
This evidence would support the theory that eyed needles played a role in decoration, without ruling out their use for tailoring.
—
Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 8 July 2024
Shell didn’t rule out the possibility of a Hulu-like joint venture or finding another streaming partner for Paramount+.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 8 July 2024
This ruled out charges involving Trump urging his acting attorney general to pursue allegations of election fraud with officials in swing states.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 8 July 2024
Alt was briefly investigated, but ruled out as a suspect — his injuries were too severe.
—Richard Schlesinger, CBS News, 6 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for rule out 
Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 8 July 2024
Shell didn’t rule out the possibility of a Hulu-like joint venture or finding another streaming partner for Paramount+.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 8 July 2024
This ruled out charges involving Trump urging his acting attorney general to pursue allegations of election fraud with officials in swing states.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 8 July 2024
Alt was briefly investigated, but ruled out as a suspect — his injuries were too severe.
—Richard Schlesinger, CBS News, 6 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for rule out
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rule out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rule out
Cite this Entry
“Rule out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rule%20out. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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