overrule

O1V4E1R1R1U1L1E1
UK/ˌəʊ.vəˈɹuːl/US/ˌoʊ.vɚˈɹul/

verb

To rule over; to govern or determine by superior authority.

“The line judge signalled the ball was in, but this was overruled by the umpire.”

UncommonScrabble 11

Meanings

verboverrule (third-person singular simple present overrules, present participle overruling, simple past and past participle overruled)

present singular third person overrules · participle present overruling · participle past overruled · past overruled

  1. transitiveTo rule over; to govern or determine by superior authority.
  2. transitiveTo rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter.

    His passion and animosity overruled his conscience.

    1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater
  3. transitiveTo nullify a previous ruling by a higher power.

    The line judge signalled the ball was in, but this was overruled by the umpire.

    2 more examples

    Tali: It's my father. He's the senior member of the Admiralty Board. He's one of only five people who can overrule the decisions of the Conclave for the good of the Migrant Fleet. Tali: My father is responsible for the lives of seventeen million people -- our entire race is in his hands. And I'm his only child.

    2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Normandy SR-1

    Scott, somewhat stunned and now worried that everybody might have opened fire at the U.S. destroyers (he presumably missed Laffey and Farenholt merrily blazing away with their own guns into the darkness), ordered all firing to cease after a couple of minutes. Helena, along with Boise, was already several hundred shells lighter, and both Boise and San Francisco herself actually kept firing, as their captains were utterly sure about their targets; San Francisco's captain was very apologetic as he overruled Admiral Scott.

    2020 December 9, Drachinifel, 20:18 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - Cape Esperance (IJN 1 : 2 USN), archived from the original on 04 Dec 2022
  4. transitivelawTo dismiss or throw out (a protest or objection) at a court.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbrule against

Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Englishrule
  8. Englishoverrule

From over- + rule.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian господствам, решавам против
  • господствам (gospodstvam)to rule over
  • решавам против (rešavam protiv)to rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • анулирам (anuliram)to nullify a previous ruling
  • отхвърлям (othvărljam)to dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
Chinese Mandarin 反對無效 /反对无效
  • 反對無效 /反对无效 (fǎnduì wúxiào)to dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
Finnish hallita, hylätä
  • hallitato rule over
  • hylätäto rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • kumotato nullify a previous ruling
  • mitätöidäto nullify a previous ruling
  • hylätäto dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
Hungarian felülbírál, megvétóz
  • felülbírálto rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • megvétózto rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • megmásítto rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • megváltoztatto rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • megdöntto rule or determine in a contrary way; to decide against; to abrogate or alter
  • hatályon kívül helyezto nullify a previous ruling
  • megsemmisítto nullify a previous ruling
  • semmisnek nyilvánítto nullify a previous ruling
  • érvénytelenítto nullify a previous ruling
  • megszüntetto nullify a previous ruling
  • elutasítto dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
  • elvetto dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
Japanese 却下する
  • 却下するto dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
Russian отклоня́ть
  • отклоня́ть (otklonjátʹ)to dismiss or throw out a protest at a court
Spanish no ha lugar (overruled), casar
  • no ha lugar (overruled)to nullify a previous ruling
  • casarto nullify a previous ruling
Cite this entry
APA

overrule. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overrule

MLA

“overrule.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overrule. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overrule,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overrule.

Source: overrule on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.