1
as in ruling
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 regulating
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 managing
to look after and make decisions about
the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 governing
Still, with some four months until the election, polling shows Eisenkot is far from securing a decisive victory or having an easy path to a governing coalition.
—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
Rather, verifying, governing and trusting the code that AI produces is the true challenge.
—
Itamar Friedman,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Traffic enforcement House Bill 651 updates procedures governing school-zone speed camera enforcement and the collection of civil penalties tied to violations.
—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
In the finals, Israel faced an Australian team already exhausted after fending off South Korea, Japan and Rhodesia (itself in the Asian tournament after being banned in Africa over its white governing regime).
—
Deborah Danan,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
When places are being set for dinner, or in a stone garden in a Buddhist monastery, there is no governing principle of central symmetry or proportional order.
—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
28 June 2026
The earthquakes pose a great challenge to Rodriguez, the former vice president whose governing coalition took shape after the United States mounted an operation that captured and deposed President Nicolás Maduro.
—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2026
But with a few exceptions, there are no universal regulations governing adventure tourism or extreme sports.
—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
The campaign blitz comes against a backdrop of bipartisan consensus that Congress needs to set more rules governing AI and the powerful companies developing it.
—
Eric McDaniel,
NPR,
22 June 2026
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
Rather, verifying, governing and trusting the code that AI produces is the true challenge.
—
Itamar Friedman,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2026
Traffic enforcement House Bill 651 updates procedures governing school-zone speed camera enforcement and the collection of civil penalties tied to violations.
—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
29 June 2026
In the finals, Israel faced an Australian team already exhausted after fending off South Korea, Japan and Rhodesia (itself in the Asian tournament after being banned in Africa over its white governing regime).
—
Deborah Danan,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
When places are being set for dinner, or in a stone garden in a Buddhist monastery, there is no governing principle of central symmetry or proportional order.
—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
28 June 2026
The earthquakes pose a great challenge to Rodriguez, the former vice president whose governing coalition took shape after the United States mounted an operation that captured and deposed President Nicolás Maduro.
—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2026
But with a few exceptions, there are no universal regulations governing adventure tourism or extreme sports.
—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
22 June 2026
The campaign blitz comes against a backdrop of bipartisan consensus that Congress needs to set more rules governing AI and the powerful companies developing it.
—
Eric McDaniel,
NPR,
22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for governing
Verb
-
Lower courts dismissed the challenge, ruling the parents hadn’t shown they have been harmed by the laws or are likely to be.
-
The Supreme Court also decided that case Monday, ruling members of other independent boards can be fired at will by the president and overturning the 90-year precedent that said otherwise.
Verb
-
The progress is a huge step toward regulating tech companies.
-
Acclimatisation involves repeatedly exercising in hot conditions so the body begins sweating earlier and becomes better at regulating its core temperature.
Verb
-
Portugal’s biggest warning sign came in their final clash, with Colombia managing 24 shots on goal — their most recorded in a World Cup game.
-
There’s less enthusiasm for FIFA’s role in managing the World Cup.
Verb
-
The Argentine legend unlocked the Cape Verde defense in the 29th minute, controlling a long diagonal pass with one touch in the box and promptly flicking it over the head of a charging Vozinha.
-
Intelligent power switches can monitor electrical flow while controlling loads more efficiently.
Verb
-
Financial regulation is struggling to keep pace with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, according to European policymakers, who are grappling with how to support adoption while containing risks to market integrity and stability.
-
In 2022, a large cluster of cases in Florida was attributed to a Caesar salad kit containing bagged romaine lettuce.
Verb
-
Wayne County prosecutors charged 29-year-old Nicholas Alexander Lee-Nathan with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, and two counts of reckless driving causing death.
-
That playbook still works for some businesses, particularly those operating in sectors that continue to attract significant venture interest or those pursuing opportunities that require substantial upfront investment.
Verb
-
These Forme shorts activate the glutes and abs through biofeedback while curbing joint stress.
-
As the head of a far-right party, Meloni backs curbing migration and promoting traditional values.
Verb
-
From overseeing the Dodgers during one of the franchise's most influential eras to remaining involved in ownership and player development across the sport, the family's impact extended well beyond the major leagues.
-
The judge overseeing the wrongful death civil case that John O'Keefe's family filed against Karen Read admonished more than a dozen lawyers involved in the case on Wednesday.
Cite this Entry
“Governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
