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
reigned; reigning; reigns
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
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
Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The film adapts Xianzhe Xu’s comic series and unfolds during China’s Sui Dynasty under Emperor Yang Guang’s oppressive reign.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Lainey Wilson’s current status as an arena headliner, the reigning CMA entertainer of the year winner and Billboard charting hitmaker will be explored through a new Netflix documentary.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reign
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Noun
Noel Garcia became a police officer toward the end of the DDS’s violent reign.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The film adapts Xianzhe Xu’s comic series and unfolds during China’s Sui Dynasty under Emperor Yang Guang’s oppressive reign.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Also on the road, Chelsea have a tricky tie against their former manager Antonio Conte and reigning Serie A champions Napoli, who are only 25th in the table but can still make the play-offs.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Lainey Wilson’s current status as an arena headliner, the reigning CMA entertainer of the year winner and Billboard charting hitmaker will be explored through a new Netflix documentary.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reign
Cite this Entry
“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reign
1 of 2 noun1
: the authority or rule of a monarch
2
: the time during which a monarch reigns
reign
2 of 2 verb1
: to govern as a monarch
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be usual or widespread
silence reigned
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