Synonyms of governing

governing

verb

present participle of govern

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

• ruling
• controlling
• dictating
• dominating
• managing
• commanding
• presiding (over)
• administering
• overseeing
• domineering
• regulating
• swaying
• captaining
• leading
• bossing
• supervising
• conducting
• directing
• superintending
• heading
• mastering
• oppressing
• micromanaging
• conquering
• reigning (over)
• subjugating
• tyrannizing
• subduing
• lording (it over)

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

• regulating
• controlling
• containing
• curbing
• keeping
• restraining
• measuring
• ruling
• suppressing
• stifling
• inhibiting
• constraining
• holding
• taming
• checking
• stopping
• pulling in
• bridling
• swallowing
• reining (in)
• interrupting
• repressing
• hindering
• holding back
• strangling
• smothering
• impeding
• blocking
• hampering
• choking (back)
• obstructing
• arresting
• bottling (up)
• silencing
• sinking
• squelching
• mincing
• muffling
• pocketing
• handcuffing
• muzzling
• gagging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• losing
• loosening
• liberating
• expressing
• taking out
• venting
• airing
• unleashing
• loosing

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

• managing
• operating
• regulating
• overseeing
• supervising
• controlling
• handling
• conducting
• running
• administering
• keeping
• guiding
• directing
• protecting
• superintending
• tending
• administrating
• presiding (over)
• carrying on
• stewarding
• watching over
• overlooking
• steering
• leading
• watching
• safeguarding
• guarding
• piloting
• caring (for)
• minding
• micromanaging
• stage-managing
• codirecting
• comanaging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of governing

So has Yoshua Bengio, who has spent recent years warning that the risks need governing. — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

The rules governing retirement accounts aren't the same as those that apply to wages or ordinary bank accounts, however. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

In their Supreme Court brief, the families' attorneys argue that the law violates basic First Amendment principles governing the separation of church and state. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Most governing documents also require unit owners to purchase homeowners’ insurance for such casualty losses. — Howard Dakoff, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

The agreement called for Hamas to completely relinquish any governing role in Gaza. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 16 Aug. 2026

Calls for independent review Monday’s open letter is just the latest shot fired at the beleaguered governing body. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

The Geneva Conventions, a set of treaties governing the conduct of warring parties, which were ratified in the aftermath of the Second World War, forbid the arbitrary detention of civilians. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

A lot of the governing dynamics and motifs here are to put the audience in Kris’s point of view and welcome them through this portal into Billy’s world. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026