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

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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

According to The Sun, the Portuguese tactician would 'seriously consider' taking up the reigns at Stamford Bridge once more, after being out of management since his ignominious sacking from Manchester United last December. — SI.com, "Jose Mourinho Keen on Shock Return to Chelsea as Massimiliano Allegri Turns Down Blues," 11 June 2019 The two-time defending champion Warriors were minutes away from their title reign ending, having lost Durant and a 14-point lead during an emotionally exhausting game. — Brian Mahoney, courant.com, "Warriors lose Durant again, but still manage to hold off Raptors in Game 5," 11 June 2019 The two-time defending champion Warriors were minutes away from their title reign ending, having lost Durant and a 14-point lead during an emotionally exhausting game. — CBS News, "Warriors stay alive in NBA Finals – barely, beat Raptors 106-105 in Game 5," 11 June 2019 The two-time defending champion Warriors were minutes away from their title reign ending, having lost Durant and a 14-point lead during an emotionally exhausting game. — Washington Post, "Warriors hang on to stay alive, win Game 5 of NBA Finals," 11 June 2019 Sammartino first won the WWWF world championship in May 1963 and held it for almost eight years until January 1971, the longest reign ever, according to WWE. — Alex Johnson /, NBC News, "Bruno Sammartino, wrestling's original good-guy hero, dies at 82," 19 Apr. 2018 That could mean an extended reign for an acting VA secretary. — Bloomberg.com, "Shulkin Says He Has 'Comfort' With Potential Successor At VA," 2 Apr. 2018 That could mean an extended reign for an acting VA secretary. — Washington Post, "Ousted Shulkin rejects White House claim he resigned VA job," 1 Apr. 2018 The versatile, sociable Lab has had the longest-ever reign as top dog. — CBS News, "Top U.S. dog breeds: Labs lead, French bulldogs leap in popularity," 28 Mar. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The first clash with reigning champions Manchester City will take place in late November at the Eithad Stadium, with tough away trips to London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal separated by just a week either side of Christmas in a very busy December. — SI.com, "Chelsea 2019/20 Premier League Fixtures: When Blues Play Man Utd, Arsenal, Tottenham & More," 13 June 2019 The reigning division champion was making his first start of the season. — Antioch Speedway, The Mercury News, "Antioch Speedway: Chadwick takes first in Jerry Hetrick Memorial Race," 13 June 2019 By hitting fewer than 50 percent of the greens in regulation (8 of 18), the reigning Masters champion scrambled mightily to shoot 1-under 70. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "With 65, Rose leads U.S. Open scoring onslaught on benign Pebble Beach," 13 June 2019 The reigning champions and No.1 side in the world got straight down to business in its opener against Thailand -- ranked 34 — with a record-breaking 13-0 win. — Massimo Marioni, CNN, "US being cast as 'disgraceful' villains over Thailand thrashing is PR gold for the Women's World Cup," 12 June 2019 The 19-year-old Barega is the reigning Diamond League champion in the 5,000 meters. — oregonlive.com, "Moh Ahmed, Paul Chelimo in the Pre Classic two-mile; Yomif Kejelcha in the Bowerman Mile: Oregon track & field rundown," 11 June 2019 If the Bruins win Wednesday, Boston-area teams will be the reigning champions in the NHL, NFL (New England Patriots) and Major League Baseball (Boston Red Sox). — Kevin Allen, USA TODAY, "City of Champions: Boston will get third trophy since October if Bruins beat Blues," 10 June 2019 If the Bruins can win just one more game, Boston will have the reigning champion in three of the four major sports, joining the 2018 Red Sox World Series winners and Bill Belichick’s latest Super Bowl heroes. — Dan Shaughnessy, BostonGlobe.com, "Now the Bruins can give Boston a third championship this sports season," 9 June 2019 The reigning champions, who earned the previous title in 2015, are led by co-captains Alex Morgan, a 2019 TIME 100 honoree, Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe. — Rachel E. Greenspan, Time, "How to Watch the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup for Free," 6 June 2019

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.