ruled

verb

past tense of rule
1
as in governed
to exercise authority or power over a sea captain who ruled his ship sternly but justly

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in controlled
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) a monarch who is known for ruling her emotions with an iron hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 ruled In May, an Alberta court ruled that a separatist petition seeking to trigger the referendum violated Indigenous rights because the province had failed to consult First Nations. — Sheena Rossiter, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026 Home building plummeted in California and the law of supply and demand ruled. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 Later in the quarter, Carr took matters into his own hands and rushed the ball up to the Penn State 1-yard line on what was initially ruled a touchdown but was reviewed and marked short. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Bryce Fitzgerald — who left the game with injury early before returning — sealed the win with an end-zone interception for the Hurricanes on the final play, amid claims from Florida State (3-4, 1-3) that it should have been ruled a touchdown. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 Milian then ruled that prosecutors were prohibited from seeking the death penalty against Morris on all counts. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 In August 2016, the same court ruled after 12 years of litigation that the museum was the rightful owner. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 This was apparent recently when a judge in Louisiana ruled that players who signed NFL contracts over the summer could return to play their fifth college season at LSU. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026 But in 2025, Congress eliminated that tax — and in early August, a federal judge in Texas ruled that without it, those other measures for extra vetting were unconstitutional, the Idaho Statesman reported at the time. — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 13 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruled
  1. governed
  2. controlled
  3. contained
  4. regulated
  5. curbed
  6. kept
  7. restrained
  8. measured
Verb
  • Compounding introduces another regulatory framework governed by federal and state requirements.
    — Emma Clapp, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Subsequent production numbers, says creative director Alessandro Camilli, will be governed by demand.
    — Simon de Burton, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of governed
Verb
  • Cologne police spokesman Christoph Bermel said the two male teenagers have not been charged but are considered suspects, and investigators were examining whether the robot's movements were preprogrammed or controlled in real time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Crimes reported on Cornell's campus are generally investigated by campus police, a department that has full law enforcement powers but is controlled by the university.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of controlled
Verb
  • The papers are said to have contained highly sensitive information, some likely supplied by Germany’s intelligence partners – so the affair could have serious international ramifications at a time when Europe is facing grave security threats.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Failure by itself did not create an advantage, but previous performance still contained useful information about what a founder might do next.
    — Bernardo Saraiva, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of contained
Verb
  • Supplements, on the other hand, are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which holds manufacturers responsible for ensuring that their supplements are safe and properly labeled.
    — Andrew Yockey, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Like other supplements, creatine is not FDA-regulated for safety and effectiveness, so the onus is on the consumer to choose a trustworthy brand.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of regulated
Verb
  • Its president, Michael Fields, ran the campaign against the measure, which would have curbed property tax increases and allowed the state to keep more of its revenue.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The conflict has curbed oil supply flowing through the Middle East, thereby raising prices, and damaged refining infrastructure in the region that turns oil into products like diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of curbed
Verb
  • But Netanyahu’s government wanted the existing framework kept intact, according to multiple sources who spoke to TIME, including an Israeli official and an international diplomat.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Leavitt connected with nine different receivers and kept scrambles to a minimum, rushing just 4 times for 11 yards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of kept
Verb
  • Corrections officials said the officers forced Olivas back into his cell and restrained him.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In the realm of celebrities, Leoni crafted a number of custom designs for Hollywood step and repeats that leaned streamlined, unfussy, and tastefully restrained—often in her go-to shades of white or black.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of restrained
Verb
  • The food measured 52 degrees, time/temperature cooling not met.
    — NWA Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Speculators may play an important role in markets by contributing to liquidity, but success is measured over shorter time horizons and requires sophisticated risk management.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of measured

Browse Nearby Words

rule
ruled
ruled (on)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ruled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruled. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

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

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All