ram through

IPA/ɹˈam θɹˈuː/
IPA/ɹˈæm θɹˈuː/

ram through — phrasal verb

  • ram throughbase form
  • rams through3rd person singular
  • ramming through-ing form
  • rammed throughpast simple

1. to force a law, plan, or policy to be officially approved by using your power or

1.phrasal verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to force a law, plan, or policy to be officially approved by using your power or influence to overcome objections, often with unfair speed and without enough discussion.

Example

The government rammed the tax reform through parliament despite strong opposition from the opposition parties.

ram + noun + through + noun (legislative context)

The CEO rammed the new attendance policy through the board meeting before directors objected.

separable: rammed the policy through

Common collocations
  • ram a bill through
  • ram legislation through
  • ram a policy through
  • ram a proposal through
  • ram reforms through
  • ram a measure through
  • ram an agenda through
  • ram a plan through
  • ram a resolution through
Synonyms
  • force through

    less forceful and slightly more neutral than 'ram through'

  • push through

    softer; implies effort and determination without the aggressiveness of 'ram'

  • railroad

    US informal; strongly disapproving, specifically suggests unfair speed

  • bulldoze

    similar intensity; emphasises overriding opposition by sheer power

Antonyms
  • block

    to prevent a proposal or motion from advancing

  • withdraw

    to remove a proposal rather than forcing it through

  • shelve

    to set aside a proposal and abandon efforts to pass it

Grammar Patterns

ram + noun + through + noun (institution/process)

ram through + noun (legislation/proposal)

Usage Note

Frequently disapproving. Most common in political journalism to describe legislation pushed through with unfair speed or limited debate. Also used in business contexts for policies imposed without proper consultation. The object is typically a concrete proposal, law, or plan — not an abstract concept or a person.

Common Mistakes

The manager rammed through my suggestion.
The manager rammed through the new workflow policy.
'ram through' takes a formal proposal or regulation as its object, not a casual suggestion.
They rammed through the traffic in their truck.
They rammed through the new traffic law in a single session.
'ram through' means 'force through a process,' not 'drive through physically.'

Synonym discussion

Sense: phrasal verb/1

'Ram through,' 'force through,' 'push through,' 'railroad,' and 'bulldoze' all describe getting a proposal or law approved despite opposition, but they differ in intensity and tone. 'Push through' is the mildest — it implies hard work and determination without any negative judgement ('The chairperson pushed the motion through after a long debate'). 'Force through' is more neutral in register but stronger in meaning, suggesting power is needed to overcome resistance. 'Ram through' and 'railroad' are both disapproving: 'ram through' carries the vivid image of a battering ram smashing down a wall, while 'railroad' (chiefly US) emphasises unfair speed and lack of consultation ('The committee railroaded the resolution through the final session'). 'Bulldoze' adds the nuance of crushing dissent with overwhelming force. In writing, choose 'push through' for neutral descriptions of effort, 'ram through' or 'railroad' for criticism of high-handed tactics, and 'bulldoze' when the opposition is completely flattened rather than merely overridden.

force throughpush through ↗railroad ↗bulldoze ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The verb 'ram' comes from Old English 'ramm,' meaning a male sheep. From the 1500s, the same word was used for a 'battering ram' — a heavy log used by armies to break down walls. The verb sense 'to strike or force something' grew out of this image. By the 1800s, 'ram through' emerged as a phrasal verb, using the idea of a battering ram to describe pushing a law or proposal past opposition with force.