rule out
Britishverb
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to dismiss from consideration
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to make impossible; preclude or prevent
the rain ruled out outdoor games
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Eliminate from consideration, exclude, as in The option of starting over again has been ruled out . [Second half of 1800s]
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Prevent, make impossible, as in The snowstorm ruled out our weekly rehearsal . [First half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If this background signal is not detected at a certain level, it rules out slower expansion rates.
From Science Daily
Healey said he would not speculate on "hypotheticals" when pressed on whether he could rule out UK involvement in further strikes.
From BBC
After Roberts ruled out Snell for opening day on Friday, the manager provided some more context on Saturday.
From Los Angeles Times
While always reluctant to make sweeping changes, Borthwick has not ruled out wielding the axe.
From BBC
That result allowed them to rule out that reproduction between the species was incompatible.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
