govern

verb

ˈgə-vərn How to pronounce govern (audio)
Definition of governnext
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

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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

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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 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 An Arab party has been part of a governing coalition just once in Israel’s history. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026 The challenge facing Eisenkot is that the 67 endorsements do not translate into a 67-seat governing coalition. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026 Under the district’s scoring system, 70% of the superintendent’s evaluation is governed by objective state metrics and district benchmarks, while the remaining 30% reflects board members’ discretionary marks. — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 7 Nov. 2026 Dyer, Casto and Richardson said their plans to find a new company to run the cameras and writing a law that governs them predated the election this week and are not a reaction to the incoming new council. — Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for govern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for govern
  1. rule
  2. regulate
  3. manage
  4. control
  5. contain
  6. operate
  7. keep
  8. oversee
Verb
  • The administration maintains its authorization was lawful, and no court has ruled on the dispute.
    — DAVID McHUGH, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
  • In most cases, judges have ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, many joined in their lawsuits by athletes similarly in limbo.
    — Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of rule
Verb
  • The office regulates home and auto insurance rates — two costs that Californians are especially aware of — and the candidates campaigned on differing visions for the role.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The carbon overlayer regulates subsequent growth, potentially limiting uneven deposition and stabilizing the region where tin and lithium interact.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of regulate
Verb
  • The Rams still managed to rack up 513 yards of offense on the Broncos, including several big plays in which a Rams receiver was wide open, or several Bronco defenders missed tackles that turned a short gain into a big play.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Nov. 2026
  • And our research at Xero shows that owners spend nearly 22 hours a month on finance alone—just tracking and managing money.
    — Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of manage
Verb
  • To control their size, they can be cut back by up to a third of their mass once per year, which can be done in a post-blooming period of rest, such as in late autumn, without sacrificing next year’s blooms.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Novak put the Pens ahead less than two minutes after the opening faceoff after controlling a rebound in front.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of control
Verb
  • In a rebus crossword, certain squares contain more than one letter.
    — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • To demonstrate practical potential, the team built a larger pouch-cell prototype containing 150 mg of iodine.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • The complication is that about 95% of the world’s 46,000 McDonald’s restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees — and some have pushed back against a proposal that could require $650,000 to $800,000 of investment per store.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The rail line, operating since 1888, has always been vulnerable to the ocean’s wrath due to its location — but its beachfront property is also one of its main draws for riders seeking a scenic trip down Southern California’s iconic coast.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of operate
Verb
  • Capricorn December 22 – January 19 The shared goal might have changed while everyone kept following the plan.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Hudson runs House Republicans’ campaign arm and was projected to keep his seat leading into Election Day.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of keep
Verb
  • The state superintendent of public instruction, until now, was tasked with overseeing the California Department of Education and executing the state Board of Education’s policies.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Hedge fund manager Aaron Sosnick, who has advocated for an expansion in the city’s bike lane network, put $8 million into a pair of committees that have promoted Raman, including the one overseen by the carpenters.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of oversee

Browse Nearby Words

gourmets
govern
governable
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Cite this Entry

“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/govern. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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