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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of governs
The Palestinian Authority, which governs the occupied West Bank, has not held presidential or parliamentary elections in nearly two decades.
—
Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
The Princess of Wales, 43, shared her well-wishes for England amid the final of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup over the weekend as patron of the Rugby Football Union, which governs the game in England.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Diversity was marketed as progress but sustained with the same toxic logic that governs writers’ rooms—the idea that only a few are allowed in, and they can be discarded the moment the optics shift.
—Rochée Jeffrey, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
This dance of refusal and counter-refusal, called taarof, governs countless daily interactions in Persian culture.
—ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Your goal is to figure out the rule that governs how the input [on the left in each box] is transformed into the output [on the right].
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Sep. 2025
Tribes, who hold about 20% of all senior water rights in the Colorado, were long left out of direct discussions, including the discussions leading to the 1922 Colorado River Compact that governs allocations to the seven basin states.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Last week, Anthropic was one of the few industry players to come out in favor of SB 53, a California state bill that governs powerful AI systems (like Claude).
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
She was viciously beaten after having been detained by an officer who accused her of not dressing appropriately in public, in defiance of the country’s hijab rule, which broadly governs what women should wear.
—Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Tim Lister, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
The Princess of Wales, 43, shared her well-wishes for England amid the final of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup over the weekend as patron of the Rugby Football Union, which governs the game in England.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025
Diversity was marketed as progress but sustained with the same toxic logic that governs writers’ rooms—the idea that only a few are allowed in, and they can be discarded the moment the optics shift.
—Rochée Jeffrey, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
This dance of refusal and counter-refusal, called taarof, governs countless daily interactions in Persian culture.
—ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Your goal is to figure out the rule that governs how the input [on the left in each box] is transformed into the output [on the right].
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Sep. 2025
Tribes, who hold about 20% of all senior water rights in the Colorado, were long left out of direct discussions, including the discussions leading to the 1922 Colorado River Compact that governs allocations to the seven basin states.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Last week, Anthropic was one of the few industry players to come out in favor of SB 53, a California state bill that governs powerful AI systems (like Claude).
—Andrew R. Chow, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
She was viciously beaten after having been detained by an officer who accused her of not dressing appropriately in public, in defiance of the country’s hijab rule, which broadly governs what women should wear.
—Fatemeh Jamalpour, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs
Verb
-
Jezero's altitude rules it out as a target, however.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In addition, the upcoming rules conflict with F-Droid's distribution model.—
Senior Reporter,
PC Magazine,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bifidobacterium boosts the immune system, balances inflammation, regulates metabolism and helps to digest certain carbohydrates and dietary fibers.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Water regulates body temperature and lubricates your joints.—
Rebecca Valdez,
Verywell Health,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For its part, American Cruise Lines operates a fleet of 28 ships and sails exclusively in the United States, including along the Mississippi River, on the Columbia and Snake rivers, across Alaska, and beyond.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The brand operates through a global network of 227 stores.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Known to relieve nausea and bloating, ginger contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Raw dog food typically contains human-grade meat and vegetables, and it has been linked to improved digestion for canines.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The private firm, which Yu says had $20 million in revenue in 2024, provides consulting, supervises construction and drafts designs for urban landscapes around the world.—
Elisabeth Brier,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Cucinelli supervises the company’s image and communication, especially through social platforms, and has greatly contributed to reach out to the younger generations.—
WWD Staff,
Footwear News,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Melatonin is a natural hormone produced in the body by the brain’s pineal gland which partially controls the sleep-wake cycle.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
4 Oct. 2025
-
But if the president controls the FCC, will speech be free?—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Florida Division of Emergency Management oversees the site.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The Ninth Circuit, which oversees Hawaii, held that the 2023 law is constitutional.—
Alyssa Kapasi,
NPR,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The result is a smooth airflow that keeps the parachute steady and its descent highly predictable, even under varying conditions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
-
September’s Feel-Good Food Plan will be hosted by cookbook author Casey Elsass, who is sharing the dish that keeps him connected to community during the holiday season.—
Millie Peartree,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Governs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governs. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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