1
as in ruled
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
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2
as in regulated
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 operated
to look after and make decisions about
the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in controlled
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of governed
Lauren Sausser, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Think of individual workplaces as their own countries, each governed by a specific set of social norms and ways of operating.
—Julia Sullivan, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
But Wednesday’s military parade, the largest ever held by China, also shows that whatever the emerging world order is, it is governed by harsh realism, self-interest, and opportunism.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
The Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty over Taiwan—despite never having governed the island—and has vowed to use force to achieve reunification if necessary.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Since then, the country has clung to oil as a magic bullet for prosperity – a policy pursued by former president David Granger, who governed until 2020.
—Anabella González, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan for nearly seven uninterrupted decades, suffered bruising losses in the most recent elections for both chambers of the national legislature—the Lower House last fall and the Upper House this summer—as did its coalition partner, Komeito.
—Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Between them, the three parcels amount to just over 28 acres of Mission Bay Park, one of the city’s crown jewels and property that is governed by a decades-old master plan.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Micro-responsiveness Is your to-do list governed by what lands in your inbox?
—Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Different categories of health insurance are governed by different agencies and are therefore subject to different prior authorization rules.
—Lauren Sausser, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
Think of individual workplaces as their own countries, each governed by a specific set of social norms and ways of operating.
—Julia Sullivan, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
But Wednesday’s military parade, the largest ever held by China, also shows that whatever the emerging world order is, it is governed by harsh realism, self-interest, and opportunism.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
The Chinese Communist Party claims sovereignty over Taiwan—despite never having governed the island—and has vowed to use force to achieve reunification if necessary.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Since then, the country has clung to oil as a magic bullet for prosperity – a policy pursued by former president David Granger, who governed until 2020.
—Anabella González, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan for nearly seven uninterrupted decades, suffered bruising losses in the most recent elections for both chambers of the national legislature—the Lower House last fall and the Upper House this summer—as did its coalition partner, Komeito.
—Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
Between them, the three parcels amount to just over 28 acres of Mission Bay Park, one of the city’s crown jewels and property that is governed by a decades-old master plan.
—Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Micro-responsiveness Is your to-do list governed by what lands in your inbox?
—Barnaby Lashbrooke, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for governed
Verb
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Transport yourself back in time to the days where kings and queens ruled, and see over 100 daily shows.—
Caroline Ritzie,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
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The Supreme Court in June declined the toy companies’ request to take up the issue before a lower appeals court ruled on the case.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Packers controlled the line of scrimmage, holding the league’s top-scoring offense from 2024 to just 13 points.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Each lighting unit contains three separate color-changing bulbs that can be individually controlled.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The changes affect libraries operated by Maricopa County and not cities that operate their own libraries, such as Phoenix.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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More Associated Press The plant is operated by a separate entity called HGLA Battery Company, and Hyundai does not directly employ any of the workers at the facility, according to a source who agreed to speak on background to discuss the details of the plant's ownership structure.—
Daniel Bush,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Police believe the items may have contained THC and are examining whether Niinami knew the substance is strictly regulated in Japan.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Any significant change in the way outdoor cultivation is regulated could only be achieved through a change in state law or the administrative rulemaking process.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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By Sunday evening, the fire crew managed to contain 14% of this wildfire.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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In previous years, a private consultant managed the grant distribution process.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After the fire is fully contained, the next step is to control it.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The fire is yet to be contained.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Open to kids ages 4-12, the program has a wide range of kids’ club activities such as crafts, games, and supervised play.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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According to Richardson, play between a large dog and a kitten can be very positive for bonding and enrichment, but must always be supervised.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Without both, the promise of inclusive finance may well remain constrained.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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From tariffs squeezing profits and constrained supply chains to lagging consumer demand for electric vehicles, automotive sales — especially among Stellantis brands — have sputtered.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Governed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governed. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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