ruling
Americannoun
adjective
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governing or dominating.
the ruling party.
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controlling; predominating.
the ruling factor in recovery from an illness.
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widespread; prevalent.
ruling prices; ruling values.
noun
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a decision of someone in authority, such as a judge
-
one or more parallel ruled lines
adjective
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controlling or exercising authority
the ruling classes
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prevalent or predominant
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of ruling
1175–1225; Middle English (gerund); see rule, -ing 1, -ing 2
Explanation
The official decision a judge makes is a ruling. You can also use this word as an adjective, to describe something or someone in charge, like a ruling political party. The group with political power in a country might be described as the ruling coalition, and the government itself could be called the ruling authority. When it's a noun, the word ruling has a legal meaning: it's the court's opinion. This definition dates from the 1550s, from the verb rule, from its Latin root regula, "straight stick or bar."
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.
Cook sued to stop her firing, and the Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in that case in the coming weeks.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
An arbitrator has sided with former Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt, saying in a preliminary ruling that he was not guilty of sexual assault against his former girlfriend and business partner Michelle Ritter.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
In short, the lower court’s ruling had gotten the legal question right, and the principles of precedent did not support changing that ruling.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
Abelardo de la Espriella, a rich lawyer who promised an iron-fisted crackdown on drug thugs, finished ahead of ruling movement’s leftist hopeful.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
I tried to conceal my surprise about the court's ruling on the motion without even permitting a hearing.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
