overruled

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "overruled" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in legal contexts to indicate that a judge has rejected a motion or objection made by a party in a court case. Example: "The attorney objected to the evidence being presented, but the judge overruled the objection, allowing the evidence to be admitted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He was overruled by the politburo, which ordered the police and interior ministry security forces to put down the riots, which they did, shooting more than 40 protesters dead, and injuring more than 1,000.

The Guardian

Earlier Exxon had attempted to get the measure struck off the meeting agenda on technical grounds, but were overruled by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Guardian - Business

Jobs overruled him, saying the iPhone would introduce people to the concept of touchscreen control in a more familiar form – he said the iPad first would have had people deal with both a new category of computer and a new way of interacting with it.

The Guardian - Tech

A study by the Montgomery-based Equal Justice Initiative found that Alabama judges in capital cases have overridden jury recommendations more than 100 times since 1976, and 92% of those decisions overruled life recommendations to impose death.

The Guardian

She only changed her mind when she realised she was set to be overruled by the caucus - which would have ended her already tenuous hold on the leadership.

The Guardian

The process began last summer, with the publication of Hard Choices, Clinton's memoir of her State Department years, in which she describes the "difficult position" of having advocated for doing more to help the Syrian rebellion – only to be overruled.

The Guardian

Sustainable Shetland went to the supreme court after appeal judges in Edinburgh overruled a judicial decision in October 2013 that the scheme breached the EU birds directive, by threatening nesting populations of the endangered whimbrel.

The Guardian

YouTube remains off limits to Turkish users, even though a lower court has overruled a separate ban on the site.

The Economist

When parliament overruled her, she called a general election.

The Economist

Its intent had been to keep state courts from ruling on international issues such as piracy, although its scope had never been tested.The federal district court dismissed the Filartiga case but, against expectations, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals overruled it.

The Economist

In 2004 a Labour government overruled a court which had given the Maori title to the foreshore and seabed.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "overruled" when a decision or action is formally rejected by someone with higher authority. It's commonly used in legal, political, and organizational contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "overruled" in informal conversations. Reserve it for situations involving formal authority or decision-making processes.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "overruled" is as a past participle or past tense verb. It indicates that a prior decision, objection, or action has been rejected by someone in authority. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this usage is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "overruled" functions as a past participle or past tense verb, signifying the rejection of a decision by an authority. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and highly prevalent in news and formal business settings. While versatile, it's best suited for contexts requiring a formal tone, as alternatives like "vetoed" or reversed may offer more specific nuances. When aiming for clear, authoritative communication, "overruled" serves as a precise and effective choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overturned

Implies a legal decision being invalidated by a higher court.

vetoed

Indicates a rejection of a proposal or decision, typically by an executive power.

reversed

Signifies the act of changing a decision or judgment to its opposite.

set aside

Refers to a decision being canceled or nullified, often temporarily.

invalidated

Means to render a decision or agreement without legal force.

rescinded

Indicates the cancellation of a law, order, or agreement.

quashed

Suggests the forceful rejection of a decision, often in a legal context.

superseded

Implies that something has been replaced by something newer or more relevant.

dismissed

Indicates that a case or claim has been rejected or thrown out.

negated

Means to nullify or make ineffective.

FAQs

How is "overruled" typically used in a sentence?

"Overruled" is generally used as a past participle. For example, "The judge "overruled" the objection" or "His decision was "overruled" by the board".

What's the difference between "overruled" and "vetoed"?

"Vetoed" usually refers to the rejection of a law or decision by an executive authority, like a president or governor. "Overruled" is broader and can apply to any decision being overturned by a higher authority, such as a judge or committee.

What can I say instead of "overruled" in a legal context?

In a legal setting, you can use alternatives like "reversed", "overturned", or "set aside", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "overruled" in a business setting?

You can use "overruled" in a business context when a manager's decision is formally rejected by a senior executive or board. For example, "The marketing team's strategy was "overruled" by the CEO".