reign

1 of 2

noun

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

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
Plane Jane is revealing Bob the Drag Queen's reaction to the season 16 queen crash-landing her gleeful RuPaul's Drag Race reign of mischief on Madonna's runway last month. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 11 Mar. 2024 Both want to see an end to President Vladimir Putin’s reign and his war against Ukraine. Serhiy Morgunov, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 But Spotify became more outspoken as EU politicians started to call for laws to reign in Big Tech. Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 Kylie Minogue Australia’s queen of pop celebrated her continuing reign by performing a medley of songs from her career. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Mar. 2024 For one week every March, gridlock reigns, yet the locals have developed a survival strategy. Jack Bantock, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 Overall, the influx of millions of new immigrants under Biden's reign is expected to help the economy in the next decade, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office. The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024 Jason took the reigns amidst the pandemic and has continued to do so amidst the war in Ukraine. Kristin L. Wolfe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Not to be confused with the wind-grabbing garments that help superheroes fly, cape coats are essentially jackets that let the arms reign free, leaving you feeling less restricted and avoiding the inevitable penguin-waddle required to wear some puffier coats. Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
In 2024 uncertainty continues to reign—a prolonged drought has cut the number of ships that can cross the Panama Canal, and ships are being attacked in the Red Sea, the main throughway to the Suez Canal, by Yemeni Houthis in support of Iran and Palestine. Alden Wicker, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 In the end, the campaign in favor of the measures was rushed and disjointed, confusion reigned over the language presented in the proposals and less than half of eligible voters turned out to the polls. Megan Specia, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 The Cactus League includes Major League Baseball teams such as the Chicago Cubs, the Los Angeles Dodgers and reigning World Series champions the Texas Rangers, who travel to the Valley for the spring training season. The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Cosmologists’ reigning model of the universe identifies dark energy as the energy of space itself and pegs it at 70% of the universe’s contents. Liz Kruesi, Quanta Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 The O’Flaherty clan is still running the pub-restaurant, which reigns year-round as downtown San Jose’s Irish touchstone. Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 Here are the top eight things brands look for when sponsoring athletes and creators: Keep it Real: Authenticity reigns supreme in the world of social marketing. King Holder, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024 Less than two years after joining the reigning La Liga champions, the Frenchman and the Brazilian could both be moved on. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 The reigning Super Bowl champions originally put Britt on administrative leave in 2021 and did not sign him to a new contract the following year. Jamiel Lynch, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of reign was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near reign

Cite this Entry

“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reign

1 of 2 noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on reign

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