OVERRULES Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

overrules

verb

present tense third-person singular of overrule

as in rejects

to decide that (something or someone) is wrong; to rule against (something or someone) The judge overruled the objection. His conviction was overruled by the supreme court.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of overrules That order could keep the merger on pause indefinitely while the litigation moves forward, which means it could be paused for years, unless an appeals court overrules her. — Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 Whatever that might be in people’s minds, then that’s going to be an impressive government that comes down and overrules that connection that people have with whatever the highest government is in their mind. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 6 June 2026 Accessibility Although there are areas where design overrules function, the majority of the resort meets ADA standards with ramps and wheelchair-friendly pathways. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2026 Echoing a common theme from older participants, Kelle Phillips said Trump’s decision was a pragmatic reaction to a real threat that overrules the best hopes of campaign rhetoric. — Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026 The appellate court's decision overrules a lower court judge who refused to dismiss Gary's lawsuit last year, leading gun manufacturers to appeal. — Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025 The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 79, overrules local zoning to boost development in busy areas of the Golden State, allowing developers to build tall apartment and condo buildings of up to nine stories in single-family areas near certain transit stops. — Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025 The decision overrules a lower court's decision that had blocked USAID cuts. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrules

Verb

But the arrangement rejects the conflict of interest protections that his recent predecessors in office had instituted.

— Fatima Hussein, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Israel rejects this, viewing the territory as disputed rather than occupied.

— Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of rejects

Verb

If your team is afraid to name real weaknesses, or if leadership dismisses uncomfortable truths, the analysis won’t do what it’s meant to do.

— Nancy Padberg, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Risks, but not existential ones Not everyone dismisses the risk quite so bluntly, though.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dismisses

Verb

Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of providing sanctuary to TTP militants, an allegation Kabul denies.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Rights groups have, however, accused the country of sportswashing to cover up its reputation for silencing critics, including accusations of killings and disappearances, allegations the government denies.

— Damian Zane, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of denies

Verb

Any strategy that ignores that skepticism is unlikely to survive the next election or to be funded by the Congress that is likely to emerge from it.

— Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026
But the unbridled embrace of aquaculture as a sustainable answer to feeding the planet ignores some very real costs.

— Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of ignores

Browse Nearby Words

overruled

overrules

overruling

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Overrules.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrules. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of overrules

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes