1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
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Recent Examples of govern
Prince William is patron of the Football Association, English soccer's governing body, and has passed down his passion for Aston Villa to his oldest son, George.
—
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Realignment is the process by which the UIL, the state’s governing body for high school sports, reassigns schools across Texas into classifications based on enrollment, and then sorts them into districts.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
Much of the regulatory attention has to do with governing AI safety and especially dealing with the advent of generative AI and large language models (LLMs).
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The bigger reason housing is expensive is because of local regulations governing land use.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for govern
Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026
Realignment is the process by which the UIL, the state’s governing body for high school sports, reassigns schools across Texas into classifications based on enrollment, and then sorts them into districts.
—Ishmael Johnson, Dallas Morning News, 30 Jan. 2026
Much of the regulatory attention has to do with governing AI safety and especially dealing with the advent of generative AI and large language models (LLMs).
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The bigger reason housing is expensive is because of local regulations governing land use.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for govern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for govern
Verb
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The court ruled Thursday that the port concession granted to Panama Ports Company — a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings — was unconstitutional.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Garnett, a Biden appointee and former Manhattan federal prosecutor, ruled after hearing oral arguments earlier this month.—
MICHAEL R. SISAK,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But, like the media companies, both banks are regulated by his Administration, creating an incentive to settle.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
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Breathable, flexible fabrics help regulate temperature and move with your body—especially when layered intentionally.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His campaign disputes that characterization, emphasizing his role on the administration’s FEMA Review Council, a body tasked with evaluating disaster policy rather than managing day-to-day operations, according to reporting from the Charlotte Observer.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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An American surfer managed to drag his surfboard onto the train, even though it wasn’t allowed.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit accused Reina of secretly opening and controlling corporate credit cards and using station funds to pay mortgage and property tax bills on his West Sacramento home.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
30 Jan. 2026
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According to a 2020 study published in Nature Communications, which compared populations from different vent fields, the scaly-foot gastropod’s iron sulfide mineralization is biologically controlled and tied to gene expression.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Emerging from the Working group, Penny beat out 2,499 other canines spread across seven different groups containing 204 total breeds to win the coveted prize.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
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The polar vortex is a persistent, large-scale cyclone that circles the Arctic and contains extremely cold air.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Another challenger, OneWeb, is operated by France's Eutelsat and has a constellation of more than 600 satellites.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
31 Jan. 2026
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Dosunmu operated at times like a one-man wrecking crew, forcing his way downhill in the half court and cracking open the Heat’s confounded defense in the flow of transition.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And beyond price, simply finding something unique keeps shoppers coming back.—
Mari Sato The Dallas Morning News,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
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As the stockpile of surplus nets in the Netherlands and Denmark is depleted, Pot is looking elsewhere to keep the pipeline going.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Israel and Egypt are vetting travelers, and the crossing is being overseen with international involvement, officials said, as part of efforts to prevent weapons smuggling while allowing limited humanitarian movement.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
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Mamdani entrusted Stanley Richards, an ex-Rikers Island inmate and former executive vice president at The Fortune Society, with overseeing the Big Apple’s jails, aiming for both a safer jail system and reform.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/govern. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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