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
Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
Isaiah was a prophet during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, which was being attacked by the Assyrian Empire.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Hands-on service reigned during her tenure, Kennedy said.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for reign
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Noun
While Aurangzeb expanded the empire to its greatest territorial extent, his long reign also strained its administrative and financial resources.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
Isaiah was a prophet during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah, which was being attacked by the Assyrian Empire.
—Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Cleveland Cavaliers have reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Hands-on service reigned during her tenure, Kennedy said.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, USA Today, 15 Apr. 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 16 Apr. 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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