rule out
phrasal verbrule somebody/something out
- rule somebody/something out (as something) to state that something is not possible or that somebody/something is not suitable synonym exclude
- Police have not ruled out the possibility that the man was murdered.
- The proposed solution was ruled out as too expensive.
- This theory cannot be ruled out altogether.
- to prevent somebody from doing something; to prevent something from happening
- His age effectively ruled him out as a possible candidate.