governance

noun

gov·​er·​nance ˈgə-vər-nən(t)s How to pronounce governance (audio)
plural governances
: the act or process of governing or overseeing the control and direction of something (such as a country or an organization) : government
a centralized system of governance
the challenges of national governance
… the governance of amateur sport in America …P. S. Wood
… three years before he died, [Lionel] Trilling pressed the point that the way a nation thinks determines in the end the quality of its governance.Benjamin DeMott
Enron, and the corporate disasters that followed, forced many companies to get serious about governance.Louis Lavelle
Theirs was the perennial problem of quick-witted subjects under the governance of dull-witted administrators.Declan Kiberd
Michael Dukakis, at the 1988 Democratic convention, said governance was about competence, not ideology. He got it half right: Competence is important to governance, but ideology is critical …U.S. News & World Report

Examples of governance in a Sentence

They have very different approaches to the governance of the city. after World War II, the four Allied nations shared the governance of the territory of postwar Germany under the Allied Control Council
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The move comes several weeks after the server company’s auditor, Ernst & Young, resigned, following months of disagreement over Super Micro Computer’s governance practices and board independence. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024 Authoritarian rivals of the United States thrive in countries where governance, transparency, and accountability are weak, making support for democracy all the more important. Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024 Now, the City Council is grappling with the aftermath of the latest developments, alongside routine matters of governance. Bracey Harris, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024 That would include looking at a school or district’s budget, governance, and facilities and then recommending how the district might focus on improving those areas, including being able to recommend a change in leadership. Yesenia Robles, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for governance 

Word History

Etymology

see govern

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of governance was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near governance

Cite this Entry

“Governance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/governance. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

governance

noun
gov·​er·​nance ˈgəv-ər-nən(t)s How to pronounce governance (audio)
: the exercise of control : government

More from Merriam-Webster on governance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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