1
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
2
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
3
as in operates
to look after and make decisions about
the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of governs
In its world, resurrected mammoths roam, AI governs underground facilities, and human-animal hybrids embody both triumph and ambiguity.
—
Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Kate is a patron of the Rugby Football Union in England, while William serves as the patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, which governs the game in Wales.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
While the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, initially welcomed his appointment, their relationship soured quickly.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
The novel is set in Oceania, a geographical entity covering North America and the British Isles and which governs much of the Global South.
—Laura Beers, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2025
Throughout the day, your sympathetic nervous system accumulates activation while your parasympathetic system, which governs rest and restoration, gets overwhelmed.
—Allison Palmer
august 19, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Turkey controls the Black Sea’s gates—the Bosporus and the Dardanelles—under the Montreux Convention, which governs passages through the Turkish straits in and out of the Black Sea.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
The profiles and pressures facing these conferences cannot be compared to those in the remainder of the NCAA, which governs hundreds of other schools with dramatically different realities.
—Jim Martin, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
Bono began his statement by reflecting on reflecting on the October 7, 2023, attacks against Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that governs the Gaza Strip.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 10 Aug. 2025
Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Kate is a patron of the Rugby Football Union in England, while William serves as the patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, which governs the game in Wales.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
While the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, initially welcomed his appointment, their relationship soured quickly.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
The novel is set in Oceania, a geographical entity covering North America and the British Isles and which governs much of the Global South.
—Laura Beers, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2025
Throughout the day, your sympathetic nervous system accumulates activation while your parasympathetic system, which governs rest and restoration, gets overwhelmed.
—Allison Palmer
august 19, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Turkey controls the Black Sea’s gates—the Bosporus and the Dardanelles—under the Montreux Convention, which governs passages through the Turkish straits in and out of the Black Sea.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
The profiles and pressures facing these conferences cannot be compared to those in the remainder of the NCAA, which governs hundreds of other schools with dramatically different realities.
—Jim Martin, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
Bono began his statement by reflecting on reflecting on the October 7, 2023, attacks against Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that governs the Gaza Strip.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs
Verb
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Play by play caller Mike Tirico will be joined alongside by analyst Cris Collinsworth, sideline reporter Melissa Stark and rules analyst Terry McAulay.—
Mark J. Burns,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Parents will gain the ability to control how ChatGPT responds, with age-appropriate behavior rules on by default.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The measure also regulates commercial cannabis activity and levies a 5% federal excise tax on marijuana products, rising to 8% after five years.—
A.J. Herrington,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Scientists have identified a protein that acts as a kind of traffic controller for fat inside cells, revealing a mechanism that could help explain how the body regulates energy storage and why things go wrong in metabolic disease.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The film operates under the Primetime banner, neurodivergent actor-producer Victoria Emslie’s platform dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices across disability, gender, global majority and sexuality spectrums.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Build a team that operates without you.—
Guy Peixoto,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Eggplant also contains small amounts of vitamins C, K and B6.—
Bethany Thayer,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This article contains spoilers for Splitsville.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The military, led by an officer known only as the Major (Mark Hamill, the right amount of hammy), remains in control and supervises the Walk.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
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The leader of this office also administers one of the largest justice programs and supervises tens of thousands of defendants charged with crimes.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Users may believe their chats are private, but in many cases, the company controls how the information is stored, shared or even sold.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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Blue Frontier is commercializing the technology by integrating it into its Dedicated Outdoor Air System, a 20-ton unit installed in Florida, which controls temperature and humidity while operating primarily during periods of solar photovoltaic production.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Layden was the director of CDC’s Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology, which oversees the agency’s data-modernization efforts.—
Dominique Mosbergen,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, Americans have found fault with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees and helps fund federal responses to hurricanes and other crises, from Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago, when investigations led to major changes, and during Hurricane Helene in September 2024.—
Janet Wilson,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This prevents it from forming and keeps the ice cream ready for your next scoop.—
Tammy Algood,
The Tennessean,
3 Sep. 2025
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With its kaleidoscopic cover and irresistible tunes, the latest release from the king of avant-garde pop keeps the party going.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Governs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governs. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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