ruling

1 of 2

noun

rul·​ing ˈrü-liŋ How to pronounce ruling (audio)
: an official or authoritative decision, decree, statement, or interpretation (as by a judge on a point of law)

ruling

2 of 2

adjective

1
a
: exerting power or authority
the ruling party
b
: chief, predominating
a ruling passion
2
: generally prevailing

Examples of ruling in a Sentence

Noun The decision overturns the Supreme Court's earlier ruling. She disputed the referee's ruling. Adjective members of the ruling class the ruling opinion on premarital sex
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Texas Republicans celebrated the Supreme Court ruling on social media Tuesday and said S.B. 4 was in full effect, only to be stopped again hours later. Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024 That ruling, however, was overturned a year later, following a hearing before the entirety of the 11th Circuit. Dakin Andone, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 That ruling was then suspended by the 5th Circuit, which issued an administrative stay to review the matter. Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2024 The Santa Cruz court ruling was also invoked by the Santa Monica City Council, which directed city officials to investigate how Los Angeles County came to approve a program run by the Venice Family Clinic. Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 But that ruling, by a 5-to-4 vote, was only an interim victory for the administration. Adam Liptak, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The state's Republican governor recently signed IVF protections in response to that ruling. Jessie Balmert, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 The Alabama Supreme Court ruling took the personhood concept to a new level. Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Mar. 2024 Per the judge's ruling, Wade's resignation means Willis and the rest of her team will remain on the case. Olivia Rubin, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Yet Taiwan was considered the ideal place to sample regional Chinese cuisine at the time, both because of what the ruling political elite consumed and the many traditions and techniques brought by recent immigrants to the nation. Jessica Carbone, Saveur, 28 Nov. 2023 Following the death of her cousin Queen Elizabeth in September 2022, Queen Margrethe became Europe's only ruling female monarch. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 4 Jan. 2024 The increase in angry partisanship and polarization is making ruling coalitions more fragile, and governance all the more difficult. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2023 While critics called the ruling legal nonsense, the Kremlin appears to be banking on global homophobia as a unifying ideology that will align intolerant countries — particularly in the Middle East and Africa — against the liberal West. Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023 The royal became the longest-serving European sovereign and the only ruling female monarch in Europe following the death of her third cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, in September at the age of 96. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2023 Congress spent a lot of time asking him about affiliations with the Chinese Communist Party — China’s sole ruling political party. Alex Cranz, The Verge, 24 Mar. 2023 The Chinese armed forces are unique in that they are led by the ruling political party, rather than its members swearing an oath to defend the country or a constitution. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 10 Mar. 2023 Queen Margrethe became the longest-serving European sovereign and the only ruling female monarch following the death of her third cousin Queen Elizabeth II in September. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruling was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ruling

Cite this Entry

“Ruling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruling. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ruling

noun
rul·​ing
ˈrü-liŋ
: an official decision (as by a judge)

Legal Definition

ruling

noun
rul·​ing
: an official or authoritative determination, decree, statement, or interpretation (as by a judge on a question of law)
followed a previous ruling on the same question
see also revenue ruling compare decision, disposition, finding, holding, judgment, opinion, verdict

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