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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Leo chose his name in reference to the last Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903, one of the longest papal reigns, and is known for marshaling the church into the modern world. Connor Greene, Time, 15 Oct. 2025 During the shah’s reign, filmmakers wrapped their civic appraisals in allegory, like Dariush Mehrjui’s 1969 Iranian New Wave classic, The Cow, about how a cow’s death spins its owner into unhinged chaos. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
The reigning champion Eagles are (back) on tilt after losing two straight games, while each of the other division leaders has major flaws. Austin Mock, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 In South Walton, though, vacation homes reign supreme. Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reign

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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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