1 B1 idiomatic neutral
to decide that something is not possible or cannot be true
"The tests ruled out a serious infection."
“
I wouldn't rule anything out.
— Donald Trump, interview with The New York Times, 2017
separable
rule out
B1 neutral separable transitive
to decide that something is impossible, not allowed, or not worth considering
In plain English
to say something cannot be true or cannot happen
What does "rule out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
to prevent something from happening or being considered
"The cost rules out a family holiday this summer."
“
Military action cannot be ruled out.
— Common news quotation used by officials and headlines; exact source not reliably recalled
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to make a rule that something is outside
Actually means
to say something cannot be true or cannot happen
Usage tip
Very common in everyday English, medicine, police work, and planning. Often used with possibilities, causes, options, and candidates.
Words that pair with "rule out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
possibility option cause diagnosis candidate idea
How to conjugate "rule out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rule out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rules out
he/she/it
Past simple
ruled out
yesterday
Past participle
ruled out
have + pp
-ing form
ruling out
continuous
Hear "rule out" in the wild
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Other ways to say "rule out"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
discount dismiss eliminate exclude make impossible reject
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