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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 The same logic governs the risk functions. —

Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 The neighborhood governs how the assets are used, maintaining local control in perpetuity while using profits for reinvestment. —

Alex Amouyel, Fortune, 14 May 2026 The provision that governs all this in the VRA is called Section 2. —

Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 As education commissioner, Kamoutsas sits on the Board of Governors, which governs Florida’s 12 public universities. —

Lucy Marques, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026 The court decision was based on an interpretation of a tax code provision that governs postponed filing and payment deadlines during a disaster. —

Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 11 May 2026 And while the law largely governs toxins, the rollback has also undermined action on climate change, including repealing the legal theory used to classify greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide as regulated pollutants. —

Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 8 May 2026 The resort governs itself; by day, poolside games and activities for all ages, and by night, a firepit to gather round for a wholesome nightcap. —

Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 May 2026 The hormone then travels to the locus coeruleus, a cluster of neurons in the brainstem that governs arousal. —

Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs

Verb

Now, nearly a decade later, Hamza is in the inner circle as the kingpin of the Baloch gang that rules the city of Karachi.

— Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
In Gemini — the sign Mercury naturally rules — this planet operates at full speed.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026