reign

1 of 2

noun

ˈrān 

1

a

: royal authority : sovereignty

under the reign of the Stuart kings

b

: the dominion, sway, or influence of one resembling a monarch

the reign of the Puritan ministers

2

: the time during which someone (such as a sovereign) reigns

reign

2 of 2

verb

reigned; reigning; reigns

intransitive verb

1

a

: to possess or exercise sovereign power : rule

b

: to hold office as chief of state although possessing little governing power

in England the sovereign reigns but does not rule

2

: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch

3

: to be predominant or prevalent

chaos reigned in the classroom

Synonyms of reign

Noun

• dominion
• domination
• dominance
• supremacy
• sovereignty

Examples of reign in a Sentence

Noun

She was a popular ruler throughout her reign.

the reign of Queen Elizabeth

his reign as department chairperson

her reign as team president

his reign as heavyweight boxing champion

the reign of digital technology

Verb

The king reigned in a time of peace and prosperity.

The lion reigns as king of the jungle.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

During the reign of the Inca Empire, which spanned a large territory in western South America from the 13th to the 16th centuries, children and young women were regularly sacrificed to important gods in a ceremony known as capacocha. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026

While California remains the top destination for Hollywood film and TV spending, its reign is being threatened by other major hubs. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026

Verb

Uncertainty still reigns about what will happen in the war with Iran and when the global energy industry can return to normal. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

The initial lineup includes Ella Langley, who leads the 2026 noms with nine, along with reigning male vocalist of the year, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top and Tucker Wetmore. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English regne, from Anglo-French, from Latin regnum, from reg-, rex king — more at royal

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing reign

• reigned supreme
• reign of terror
• reign supreme

Rhymes for reign

• ane
• bane
• blain
• brain
• cane
• chaine
• cheyne
• deign
• drain
• fain
• fane
• feign

Kids Definition

reign

1 of 2 noun

ˈrān 

1

: the authority or rule of a monarch

2

: the time during which a monarch reigns

reign

2 of 2 verb

1

: to govern as a monarch

2

: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch

3

: to be usual or widespread

silence reigned