The term "ruled" can have several synonyms, depending on its context and meaning. For instance, in a political sense, "governed" can be an alternative to "ruled". In another context, "controlled" can replace "ruled" when the meaning is about managing a situation or a process. Additionally, in a legal context, "decided" or "determined" can be used instead of "ruled". The word "presided" is also a synonym of "ruled" in certain settings, particularly when referring to judges or leaders who hold adjudicating positions. In summary, "ruled" could be substituted with words like "governed", "controlled", "decided", "determined", and "presided", among others, depending on the context.