rule out

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌruːl ˈaʊt/
US: /ˌruːl ˈaʊt/

  1. To prevent something from happening or being possible.

    1. We can't rule out rain today. [ ] [ ]
    2. The police have ruled out suicide and are treating it as murder; they rule out any other options. [ ] [ ]

  2. To decide that something is not possible or suitable.

    1. I rule out going to the park. [ ] [ ]
    2. The manager didn't rule out the possibility of cuts if sales didn't improve, and the situation become critical. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

preclude exclude eliminate dismiss reject

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "rule out" in English means: To prevent something from happening or being possible., To decide that something is not possible or suitable..

The phonetic transcription of "rule out" is /ˌruːl ˈaʊt/ in British English and /ˌruːl ˈaʊt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "rule out": preclude, exclude, eliminate, dismiss, reject.

Example usage of "rule out": "We can't rule out rain today.". More examples on the page.