GOVERNS Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

governs

verb

present tense third-person singular of govern

as in rules

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

as in regulates

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

as in operates

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 governs Students should know where they are enrolled, who grants their degree, who governs the curriculum, how financial aid works, where student services are delivered and who is accountable when something goes wrong. —

Christos Korgan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026 The airport also said all discussions related to the lease negotiations are protected under North Carolina General Statute 132-6(d), which governs economic development records. —

Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026 No single layer consistently governs how that data is protected across its lifecycle, leading to inconsistent tokenization and unclear ownership of compliance and risk across platforms, processors and merchants. —

Ruston Miles, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Adaptogens work primarily by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis — the system that governs your stress hormones — and balancing cortisol. —

Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 27 May 2026 And there are hundreds of pages in court filings debating noise, traffic, local zoning regulations and the legitimacy of a land easement from the 1930s that governs the use of their shared driveway. —

Dana Hedgpeth The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2026 The law governs the records of the president, vice president and certain parts of the Executive Office of the President, such as the National Security Council. —

Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 20 May 2026 The National Mediation Board is a federal agency that governs labor relations for railroads and airlines. —

Chad De Guzman, Time, 18 May 2026 Prince William is patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, which governs the game in Wales, while Princess Kate supports Rugby Football Union, its counterpart in England. —

Janine Henni, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs

Verb

If the court strikes down such grace periods, the implications could extend well beyond California and 13 other states that give a grace period for regular ballots, depending on how the court ultimately rules.

— Linh Tat, Daily News, 9 June 2026
The bony villain is a warlock who stole the throne of Eternia from King Randor and now rules it with a tyrannical fist.

— Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026