rule out

British  

verb

1. to dismiss from consideration

2. to make impossible; preclude or prevent

   the rain ruled out outdoor games

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rule out Idioms  

1. Eliminate from consideration, exclude, as in The option of starting over again has been ruled out . [Second half of 1800s]

2. Prevent, make impossible, as in The snowstorm ruled out our weekly rehearsal . [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

But even before he was ruled out Sunday, fans were calling for McCarthy to be benched after a horror show performance in his last appearance, when he threw for just 87 yards with two interceptions.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We cannot rule out the possibility of this number increasing further," Tsang said.

From Barron's

He ruled out the likelihood of the symptoms being caused by more conventional crowd control measures, such as CS gas, which was also being deployed by Georgia's riot police last year.

From BBC

But he’s ruled out dollarization and instead runs an opaque and discretionary monetary regime.

From The Wall Street Journal

Such is Ruben Amorim's faith in the 26-year-old he was talking up Mount's qualities earlier this year even though the England international had been ruled out until April with a muscle issue.

From BBC

Related Words

• avert
• ban
• cancel
• dismiss
• eliminate
• forbid
• preclude
• prevent
• prohibit
• revoke
• suspend