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
Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
The headpiece was also worn by the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth, although the late monarch wore it only once during her reign, during a 2005 trip to Malta.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
Victoria reigned for over 60 years, but the TV show only includes her first 14 years, until 1851.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reign
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show current usage.
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Noun
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Verona was ruled by the della Scala (Scaliger) family, under whose reign Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fell in love and met their tragic ends in Shakespeare’s famed play.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 3 Dec. 2025
The headpiece was also worn by the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth, although the late monarch wore it only once during her reign, during a 2005 trip to Malta.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025
Verb
Three hundred and sixty-five days after the Bears — then a lowly laughing stock en route to a third-straight last-place finish in the NFC North — fired Matt Eberflus as head coach, Johnson’s Bears bested the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles over Thanksgiving weekend.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025
Victoria reigned for over 60 years, but the TV show only includes her first 14 years, until 1851.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reign
Cite this Entry
“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 8 Dec. 2025.
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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