Meaning & use
overrule
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Meaning
verbtransitive
To use one's authority to reject or reverse a decision, ruling, or objection made by someone else.
Grammar: Takes an object: overrule a decision.
Patterns
- overrule someone
- overrule a decision
- overrule an objection
The judge overruled the lawyer's objection.
The manager overruled the team's decision.
The committee overruled the chair's ruling.
Word forms
| third person singular | overrules |
|---|---|
| past tense | overruled |
| past participle | overruled |
| -ing form | overruling |
Common combinations
- overrule a decision
- The board overruled the decision to cut funding.
- overrule an objection
- The judge overruled the objection quickly.
- overrule someone's ruling
- The higher court overruled the lower court's ruling.
Synonyms and how they differ
- reverse
- Use 'reverse' for changing a decision to its opposite; 'overrule' emphasizes the authority of the person who does it.
- override
- Use 'override' when a rule or system is set aside; 'overrule' is more often used for a person's decision or objection.
- veto
- Use 'veto' when you reject a proposal before it takes effect; 'overrule' can also apply after a decision is made.
Opposites
Word family
- overruling noun
- the act of rejecting a decision
Commonly confused: overrule or override?
overrule vs override
'Override' often means to use authority to cancel a rule or automatic process; 'overrule' is used for decisions and objections, especially in legal or formal settings.
Practice
Choose the correct word: The judge ___ the lawyer's objection and allowed the question.
Choose one answer.
'Overruled' is the correct legal term for a judge rejecting an objection. 'Overlooked' means failed to notice, which does not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “overrule”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.