reign

1 of 2

noun

ˈrān 

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

Synonyms of reign

Noun

• dominion
• domination
• dominance
• supremacy
• sovereignty

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 rats are a nuisance and a metaphor for Aegon’s massacrous reign. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026

The last time Harry and Meghan were in the United Kingdom together was in September 2022 for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, which marked the end of the monarch's 70-year reign. — Anika Reed, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Verb

Mac Allister leapt to head in a corner kick from Lionel Messi in the ninth minute to give reigning champion an early 1-0 lead over Switzerland. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 July 2026

Vozinha impressed again when Cape Verde took reigning World Cup champions Argentina to extra time in a thrilling round-of-32 match that Lionel Scaloni’s side eventually won 3-2. — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026

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

Phrases Containing reign

• reigned supreme
• reign of terror
• reign supreme

Rhymes for reign

• ane
• bane
• blain
• brain
• cane
• chaine
• cheyne
• deign
• drain
• fain
• fane
• feign

Kids Definition

reign

1 of 2 noun

ˈrān 

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