govern

verb

ˈgə-vərn How to pronounce govern (audio)
Definition of governnext
1
as in to rule
to exercise authority or power over the president is elected in order to govern the country, not to follow public opinion polls

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2
as in to regulate
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you need to govern your speech and be able to communicate your outrage without resorting to profanity

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to manage
to look after and make decisions about the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of govern Amid the 2026 World Cup, the trio spoke about soccer, and the Prince of Wales' role as the patron of the Football Association (FA), the sport's governing body in England. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 Major League Eating organizes the event, and its International Federation of Competitive Eating is the governing body that oversees such depravity. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026 Fujimori, 51, is the daughter of late President Alberto Fujimori, who governed the country ​with an iron fist from 1990 to 2000 and was credited with defeating Maoist insurgents and taming runaway hyperinflation. — Reuters, NBC news, 4 July 2026 The prince is the official royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and also the Patron of the Football Association (FA), England's governing body for soccer organizations. — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for govern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for govern
  1. rule
  2. regulate
  3. manage
  4. control
  5. contain
  6. operate
  7. keep
  8. oversee
Verb
  • The California Supreme Court is poised to rule in a lawsuit that has pitted the state’s court reporters — the workers who create transcripts of court proceedings — against victims of domestic violence and other vulnerable litigants.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • News cameras will be allowed to record and broadcast much of the hearing, the judge ruled last week over the objections of Robinson’s attorneys.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Definition of rule
Verb
  • The clinical version dates to research in the 1960s and 1970s, when devices tracked heart rate variability, muscle tension and skin temperature to help people regulate what was once considered automatic.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026
  • The chronic disease, which impairs the body’s ability to properly regulate blood sugar, contributed to 94,445 deaths that year.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of regulate
Verb
  • The situation is pressing, but Coleman still manages to make a connection.
    — Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
  • The platform has consistently managed volume over $1 billion daily since the soccer tournament began on June 11.
    — Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 4 July 2026
Definition of manage
Verb
  • Russia meanwhile has claimed that its forces now control the important town of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
  • The plant also can be controlled by applying a nonselective herbicide, but that will not save digging.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of control
Verb
  • Pomegranates also contain vitamin K and folate, which can help support healthy blood clotting and cell growth, respectively.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The Lineage warehouse, built in 2018, is likely to contain different materials of concern.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, was charged with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operated by another person.
    — Kelly O'Donnell, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Roy Gillian began operating the business as Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in 1965.
    — Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of operate
Verb
  • This version from Quince has a separate compartment for a laptop, as well as two separate sections to keep the remaining belongings organized.
    — Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
  • Beyond their cool-girl air, the shoes offer plenty of support and cushioning thanks to their plush insoles that keep your arches comfortable for hours of strutting.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 7 July 2026
Definition of keep
Verb
  • The judge denied Fischer’s request to appoint and fund a special master to oversee the privilege screen but allowed defense attorneys to review the records themselves instead of prosecutors.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • The first three times were under Socialist Party Prime Minister Felipe González starting in 1986, but conservative leader José Maria Aznar’s government also oversaw two such measures in the 2000s.
    — Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of oversee

Browse Nearby Words

gourmets
govern
governable
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Cite this Entry

“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/govern. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of govern for Spanish Speakers

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