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

That imbalance, if exploited with sufficient force, would produce concessions on trade flows, investment, and the rules governing global competition. — Jonas Nahm, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

At his rally in Athens on Sunday, the Democrat called for inspectors inside leading AI labs and an international agreement governing the technology. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Kristersson had held out the prospect of Cabinet seats for the Sweden Democrats this time — if the governing coalition won. — ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

China’s technology sector also operates within a far more top-down regulatory environment, with the government setting extensive rules governing what AI systems can produce and how they are deployed. — John Liu, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026

So, instead, the EPA created regulations governing individual power plants. — Julia Simon, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026

To that point, NBA teams and owners are bound by the league’s constitution, a contract governing the relationship between the commissioner, the league, teams and owners. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2026

The operator evaluations used Missile Procedures Trainer simulations based on governing directives and technical requirements. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026

There’s been little movement on the key Democratic demand, an ethics component governing the president and his family, according to two Democratic aides. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026