reign

noun

\ ˈrān

Definition of reign

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

verb

reigned; reigning; reigns

Definition of reign (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : 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 More Example Sentences Learn More about reign

Keep scrolling for more

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

The acclaimed movie, which centers on Queen Anne's reign in 18th century England, is nominated for a whopping 10 awards tonight, including Best Picture. — Maggie Maloney, Town & Country, "The Cast of The Favourite Has Arrived at the 2019 Oscars," 25 Feb. 2019 Back then, investors overestimated the disruptors’ chances in a market where economies of scale reign supreme. — Jon Sindreu, WSJ, "How China Could Challenge the Boeing-Airbus Duopoly," 6 Jan. 2019 In books, The Grinch and A Christmas Carol reign supreme. — Kayleigh Roberts, Marie Claire, "Here's Why So Many Kardashians and Jenners Are Missing from the Family's Annual Christmas Card," 24 Dec. 2018 Google Fi makes use of T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular networks, so in further reaches of the U.S. where AT&T or Verizon reign supreme, Google Fi's triple threat might still not cut the mustard. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "The New Google Fi Is the Perfect Excuse to Dump Your Crummy Mobile Carrier," 28 Nov. 2018 Save your moody ballads for December, because between June and September, fun pop songs reign supreme. — refinery29.com, "Every Song That Tried & Failed To Become The "Song Of The Summer"," 27 June 2018 The Whitney Thursday Night Garden Party Thursdays reign supreme on the Whitney’s gorgeous grounds, which have been upgraded this year with the help of a full-time horticulturalist. — Erin Podolsky, Detroit Free Press, "Summer concert series offer free music under the sun and stars," 13 June 2018 Jon Wertheim gives his 50 parting thoughts from the 2018 French Open, which saw Rafa reign supreme again and Simona Halep claim her first Slam. — Jon Wertheim, SI.com, "50 Parting Thoughts From Roland Garros 2018," 10 June 2018 Cars and trucks have replaced mules in most places, but the beasts of burden still reign supreme at the Grand Canyon. — Stina Sieg, azcentral, "Stubbornly steadfast, pack mules keep Grand Canyon moving," 9 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The oldest item in the show is a 12th-century parchment papal bull, signed by the reigning pope, Anastasius IV; three future popes; one future antipope; and one future saint. — Jennifer Schuessler, New York Times, "Not Your Average Autograph Collection," 12 July 2018 The Eagles’ offense has true weapons, starting with reigning ACC Rookie of the Year running back A.J. Dillon. — Julian Benbow, BostonGlobe.com, "BC quarterback Anthony Brown nearly ready after knee surgery," 4 July 2018 Yorgos Lanthimos’ irresistibly nasty tale of lust, power and pet bunnies in the court of England’s Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), who reigned in the early years of the 18th century. — Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times, "‘The Favourite’ review: an irresistibly nasty tale of lust, power and pet bunnies," 4 Dec. 2018 Unlike Pokémon Go, players aren’t expected to fight other devoted Catholics to reign supreme. — Julia Alexander, The Verge, "A new Pokémon Go clone lets players collect Catholic saints instead of monsters," 24 Oct. 2018 Her older sister, Princess Beatrice, is eighth in line for the throne, though neither is expected to ever reign. — Megan Friedman, Town & Country, "Who Is Today's Royal Bride, Princess Eugenie?," 12 Oct. 2018 In the trailer, Mary Stuart returns to her native Scotland, now under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I. Mary hopes to reign in Scotland harmoniously, despite pressures from patriarchal counsels to pursue war. — Jillian Forstadt, The Hollywood Reporter, "Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie Face Off for Throne in 'Mary Queen of Scots' Trailer," 12 July 2018 The Warriors, with a million centers but really none, are expected to reign for at least two or three more years. — Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "As the Warriors go their way, the big men multiply," 23 June 2018 The proposal is the latest attempt by European governments to reign in US technology giants. — Klint Finley, WIRED, "Europe Considers a New Copyright Law. Here's Why That Matters," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reign.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.