: an official or authoritative decision, decree, statement, or interpretation (as by a judge on a point of law)
1
a
: exerting power or authority
the ruling party
b
: chief, predominating
a ruling passion
2
: generally prevailing
Synonyms
Examples of ruling in a Sentence
Noun
The decision overturns the Supreme Court's earlier ruling.
She disputed the referee's ruling.
Adjective
members of the ruling class
the ruling opinion on premarital sex
Recent Examples on the Web
Haleluya Hadero The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 7 Dec. 2024
In a ruling in October, Judge Tanya Walton Pratt allowed Kennard and Bowling to proceed to trial and pursue punitive damages.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Rachel Dobkin, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
Loading your audio article A California Democrat eked out a win in the final outstanding House election race, setting up an even narrower Republican edge in the coming Congress and signaling potential headaches for the ruling GOP.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ruling 
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Noun
In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder, or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment.
—Haleluya Hadero The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 7 Dec. 2024
In a ruling in October, Judge Tanya Walton Pratt allowed Kennard and Bowling to proceed to trial and pursue punitive damages.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
The Mexican government is desperate to find new revenue sources as the ruling Morena party is running enormous budget deficits.
—Rachel Dobkin, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024
Loading your audio article A California Democrat eked out a win in the final outstanding House election race, setting up an even narrower Republican edge in the coming Congress and signaling potential headaches for the ruling GOP.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ruling
Dictionary Entries Near ruling
Cite this Entry
“Ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruling. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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