MEANING
1. To exclude a possibility, explanation, person, or option from further consideration.
2. To make an action or outcome impossible, rather than merely reject it as an option.
Use it for
eliminating an explanation; deciding an option is unsuitable; excluding a possible cause; saying that something will not be consideredDistinguishes rejecting a possibility from merely regarding it as unlikely. Writing functions: Excluding a possibility. Semantic categories (by meaning): Exclusion; Evidence; Decision-making. Contexts: General conversation; Academic writing; Business.
On the page
The records rule out a payment error as the cause of the discrepancy.
We have not ruled her out as a candidate for the post.
The damaged access road ruled out delivery by truck.
A serious injury ruled out any return to competition that season.
Word forms
- Base
- rule out
- Past tense
- ruled out
- Past participle
- ruled out
- Present participle
- ruling out
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- rule out
- Present continuous
- am/is/are ruling out
- Present perfect
- have/has ruled out
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been ruling out
- Past
- ruled out
- Past continuous
- was/were ruling out
- Past perfect
- had ruled out
- Past perfect continuous
- had been ruling out
- Future
- will rule out
- Future continuous
- will be ruling out
- Future perfect
- will have ruled out
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been ruling out
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Separable transitive phrasal verb: rule something/someone out; rule it/them out. Forms: rules out; ruled out; ruled out; ruling out. Register: neutral. Commonness: common (qualitative editorial estimate, informed by dictionaries/corpus).
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.