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 While Boise officials decide zoning and land use, ACHD governs local streets, and the Idaho Transportation Department controls State Street itself, legally a portion of State Highway 44. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026 With different-sized bubbles, the experiment showed that the size of the largest bubble governs the flow direction. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026 Like Jonah, Jay confronts the possibility that divine will, fate, or whatever governs the universe cannot be outrun. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026 The Board of Regents will vote Thursday on changes to the Title IX policy, which governs harassment and discrimination. — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026 The 10th Circuit governs federal district courts in six states—Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming—and its rulings are influential, though not binding, elsewhere. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 Oct. 2026 There is something called the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which governs maritime activities, including those in the Arctic. — Dave Davies, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026 But such a switch is permitted under the rules of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), which governs high school sports in the state. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 The role will also oversee political giving as the company seeks a bigger voice in how Washington governs AI. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs

Verb

The Chiefs challenged a catch by the Chargers’ Oronde Gadsden in the fourth quarter that CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore said was out of bounds.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026
For example, if the court rules that religious organizations have a constitutional right to opt out of state antidiscrimination rules while receiving public funds, that principle may not stop at LGBTQ+ rights.

— Preston Green III, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rules

Verb

Doctors point to how the body regulates its own temperature at night, and how a cozy pair of socks can nudge that process along.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Every few years, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, which regulates the sport, makes the teams redesign their cars.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of regulates

Verb

The company says its sodium-ion platform operates with passive cooling, eliminating the need for those systems.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Technically not in Lofoten, but well worth extending your trip for, Kvitnes Gard is a historic estate in Hadsel, Vesterålen, that operates as a 15-room farm hotel.

— Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of operates

Verb

Although labs such as DeepSeek and Moonshot AI are private, the state supervises them at every stage and, increasingly, finances them.

— NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
Request the treating physician’s name and qualifications, then ask who performs each stage and how the physician supervises the team.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of supervises

Verb

But physicists have long suspected that at a subatomic level, there is a something that inherently controls how fast these changes can occur.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
In fact, as Darman tutored me, the staff secretary sees and controls all information that goes to the President.

— Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of controls

Verb

The nation needs an ample supply for semiconductors, quantum and super computing, and superconducting magnets, added Robertson, who oversees the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Haugen oversees private capital investments, mergers and acquisitions at the family office and is also the chief investment officer of its spinout firm River1 Asset Management.

— Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of oversees

Verb

Elastic edging keeps the machine-washable covers snug across a range of couch shapes, and the collection comes in several colors, weaves and textures to coordinate with most rooms.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
This method prevents nitrogen from diluting the exhaust gas, which hinders combustion and keeps the CO₂ concentration relatively low.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026