rule of engagement
noun
a directive issued by a military authority controlling the use and degree of force, especially specifying circumstances and limitations for engaging in combat.
rules of engagement
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pluralof rule of engagement.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Weiman told AFP that the rules of engagement for dealing with settlers were rarely explained, with soldiers told to refer to police due to their status as Israeli citizens.
From Barron's β Aug. 18, 2026
Richard Dilks, CEO of CoMoUK says "mass-scale use of something that is inherently low-carbon, low-impact, low-cost" is a "good thing" but "we also don't have rules of engagement about how they should be ridden".
From BBC β Jul. 22, 2026
Marines were told to immediately report anyone violating the 12 rules of engagement.
From Los Angeles Times β May 6, 2026
The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has always been a strange ritual, a night when journalists and politicians gather to roast one another and briefly suspend the usual rules of engagement.
From Salon β Apr. 29, 2026
The Latin for “slave” — servus — as rendered in English literally is “the spared one”; slaves being those taken prisoner in battle, who should, therefore, by all the rules of engagement, have been slain.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
