GOVERN Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

govern

verb

ˈgə-vərn

Definition of govern

as in to rule

to exercise authority or power over the president is elected in order to govern the country, not to follow public opinion polls

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Relevance

as in to regulate

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you need to govern your speech and be able to communicate your outrage without resorting to profanity

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to manage

to look after and make decisions about the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of govern Under the rules of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), which governs high school sports in the state, such a switch is permitted. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Sepp Blatter, hoping to return to power as FIFA president, is banned for 90 days, essentially ending his 17-year reign as the leader of soccer’s governing body. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Receivership could follow a state emergency loan, stripping the school board of its governing authority, replacing the superintendent and placing the district under strict state oversight until the loan is repaid with interest. — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026 The role will also oversee political giving as the company seeks a bigger voice in how Washington governs AI. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for govern

Recent Examples of Synonyms for govern

Verb

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the 4th Circuit had prematurely halted the rule, finding that the FCC must issue a decision on the Democratic candidates’ petition for review before the appeals court can get involved.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
Mexico was struggling with debt crises, declining energy revenues, and the related breakdown of the ruling party’s half-century-old corporatist model, which had fostered a centralized, closed economy.

— Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of rule

Verb

In Congress, crypto companies are pushing for market-structure rules, AI firms are battling over how Washington will regulate their rapidly expanding industry, and sports-betting operators are confronting regulatory fights.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Semaglutide, sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, is a synthetic peptide designed to mimic GLP-1, which helps regulate satiety.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of regulate

Verb

The main idea of the company is to automate parts of these missions so personnel can concentrate on operational decisions rather than manually managing every aspect of a drone’s flight or sensor operation.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
Graham’s poetry—as readers of The New York Review will know—somehow manages to reckon with the whole spectrum of human existence in the 2020s.

— Matthew Aucoin, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of manage

Verb

The regions of the brain that control emotion and memory, like the amygdala and hippocampus, also function differently during this altered state.

— Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Which team’s backfield will help their team control the clock and potentially win the game?

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of control

Verb

This week, SpaceX moved one step closer to its goal of building its direct-to-device Starlink Mobile service after the FCC approved the aerospace company’s application to deploy and operate 15,000 next-generation Starlink satellites.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
Wearable sensors could aid therapy The researchers envision garments that let users control video game characters or operate robots remotely.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of operate

Verb

Ellison has so far agreed to keep CBS and CNN separate and under different leadership.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Traders are now pricing in a 78% chance that the Fed will keep rates unchanged at its next meeting, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool.

— Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of keep

Verb

Alternatively, take your pick from the five onsite restaurants—spanning Mediterranean, Mexican, Japanese, and European cuisines—overseen by former Top Chef contestant Chef Christian Bravo.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Russell’s Reserve is distilled at Wild Turkey, where master distiller Eddie Russell, son of the legendary Jimmy Russell, oversees production.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of oversee

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gourmets

govern

governable

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/govern. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of govern

verb

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