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