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 Swalwell challenged the early-stage inquiry into his mortgage in part by citing the Privacy Act, which governs the release of identifying documents within the government and generally prevents their release without a person’s consent. —

Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 3 Apr. 2026 The committee also planned to scrutinize whether the DOJ has complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which governs the review and release of records related to the case. —

Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2026 The measure governs the records of the president, vice president and certain parts of the Executive Office of the President, like the National Security Council, and sets out requirements for the maintenance, access and preservation of information during and after a presidency. —

Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026 When the law that governs CARE Court was being written, many advocacy groups insisted that coercion is ineffective and that modern mental health care favors treating people in the least restrictive settings possible. —

Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026 American law governs the ownership of ideas with considerable precision. —

Ugo Troiano, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2026 The rulings also point to a potential reckoning with the Section 230 provision of the Communications Decency Act that governs free speech. —

Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026 The Animal Welfare Act governs how animals are treated – not which experiments, exactly, can be done to them. —

Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 25 Mar. 2026 Iranian proxy forces in the region include Hezbollah, a militant group based in Lebanon, and Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. —

Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs

Verb

Ahead of the show's premiere, Witwer spoke to ABC News about what Devon offers Maul in a galaxy where his former master, Darth Sidious, now rules as Emperor Palpatine.

— Sean Keane, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Christopher McVey was sent off late against Real Salt Lake after a second yellow card, which rules him out for Saturday and forces a lineup shuffle.

— Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026