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 Yet none of these command the soul Whose purpose governs every goal. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 In this model, the LLM should become the adaptive reasoning layer, while deterministic infrastructure governs orchestration, workflows, operational memory, compliance, execution logic and outcome tracking. — Naresh Prajapati, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 The system is designed to operate in subcritical mode and fundamentally changes the safety logic that governs conventional nuclear reactors. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026 The comment was a reference to the once-in-a-decade review of the BBC’s royal charter, which governs its operations and priorities. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026 Community advocates have largely pushed for an ordinance, a local law that typically governs the actions of the general public. — Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 13 July 2026 The Texas Center for Arts and Academics governs two public charter schools, one in Fort Worth. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 In astrology, Mercury governs communication, language, ideas and public discourse, while Cancer is associated with memory, ancestry and the past. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 The Clean Air Act is the federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources and governs air pollution. — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for governs

Verb

The language of the ethics rules bans public officials from using their name, image, likeness or official position for digital assets.

— Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
The avenue lies within the city’s original historic district, where preservation rules tightly regulate new construction and alterations.

— Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

Definition of rules

Verb

This department oversees and regulates restaurants across Sacramento County, conducting food inspections and issuing food permits.

— Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
The Department of Agriculture, which regulates poultry and most red meats, has lost about ten per cent of its food-safety-and-inspection team.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 23 July 2026

Definition of regulates

Verb

Now, the non-profit operates with around 40 full-time employees, 60 partner organizations and 130 corner stores with a Kanbe’s Market inside.

— Zuri Primos July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
The System Determines Where Effort Goes Every sales team operates inside a structure that determines where effort actually flows.

— Jeff Winters, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of operates

Verb

The State Board of Education supervises public K–12 education across the state, overseeing educational interests in Kansas.

— Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
David Smith, who supervises the district’s aedes crew, said his team has received an increasing number of service requests for day-biting mosquitoes within the neighborhood.

— Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of supervises

Verb

The five-member HOA board controls the building; all officers are in the Airbnb business.

— Joan Chrissos, Miami Herald, 28 July 2026
Whenever a single jurisdiction controls a dominant share of processing or refining capacity, investors should assume that export control risk exists, even if markets are not currently pricing it in.

— Anthony Milewski, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Definition of controls

Verb

The board sets education policy, maintains academic standards, and oversees educational licenses and the accreditation system.

— Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Henry Gardner, the director of a body that oversees the Coliseum’s affairs, said Saturday that Oakland Roots SC had missed its deadline a day earlier to make good on a defaulted lease payment.

— Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 26 July 2026