as in rejects
to decide that (something or someone) is wrong; to rule against (something or someone)
The judge overruled the objection. His conviction was overruled by the supreme court.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 overrules
Echoing a common theme from older participants, Kelle Phillips said Trump’s decision was a pragmatic reaction to a real threat that overrules the best hopes of campaign rhetoric.
—
Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
The appellate court's decision overrules a lower court judge who refused to dismiss Gary's lawsuit last year, leading gun manufacturers to appeal.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 79, overrules local zoning to boost development in busy areas of the Golden State, allowing developers to build tall apartment and condo buildings of up to nine stories in single-family areas near certain transit stops.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The decision overrules a lower court's decision that had blocked USAID cuts.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
The appellate court's decision overrules a lower court judge who refused to dismiss Gary's lawsuit last year, leading gun manufacturers to appeal.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 29 Dec. 2025
The legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 79, overrules local zoning to boost development in busy areas of the Golden State, allowing developers to build tall apartment and condo buildings of up to nine stories in single-family areas near certain transit stops.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The decision overrules a lower court's decision that had blocked USAID cuts.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrules
Verb
-
In an oppositional reading, the reader understands the dominant ideology expressed in the text but rejects it and interprets the text in an alternative way.—
Shepherd Mpofu,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
-
And with its bare Instagram presence, Antigone rejects polish for rawness, allowing the strength of its curation to speak for itself.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When bumbling village policeman Derry (an endearing Nicholas Braun) dismisses any suspicion of foul play despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it’s left to the sheep to prove otherwise — despite no ability to converse with their human counterparts beyond Lassie-style leading and hinting.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Ohio Republican Party chairman, Alex Triantafilou, dismisses Putsch's attacks as typical for a primary election.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
OpenAI denies that support emails tell users how to re-register with a new email address after accounts are deactivated.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Pentagon denies any food issues on ships.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The play is dominated by Lithgow’s towering portrait of the artist as a weary old giant who refuses to concede an inch of ground.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Others rely on patience, research, and the fact that the ground itself refuses to be reduced to one easy headline.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The notion that Related is a rapacious developer being handed a giveaway ignores the history.—
Peter Peyser,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The authors take aim at TRIPS and TRIPS-Plus agreements by stressing the dangers of a colonialism of information that ignores individual countries’ political and economic circumstances.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overrules.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrules. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
