1
as in to rule
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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2
as in to regulate
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
3
as in to manage
to look after and make decisions about
the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of govern
The Supreme Court has ruled that Cook can remain on the Fed's governing board, for now.
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Scott Horsley, NPR, 11 Jan. 2026
Israel has rejected any involvement of Hamas, which ran Gaza before the war, but has also opposed rule by the PA, the body set up under the Oslo interim peace accords three decades ago that has limited governing power in the West Bank.
—Reuters, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Most of the governing elite—lawyers, judges, officials, and experts—view the giant legal machinery as a state of nature.
—Philip K. Howard, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
Senate Bill 22, if passed, would require the state board of funeral and cemetery service to adopt rules governing the operation of alkaline hydrolysis facilities.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for govern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for govern
Verb
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The game officials ruled that Gobert impeded Wembanyama's ability to safely land on the follow-through from his jump shot, giving him six flagrant foul points for the season.—
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Lane Johnson’s absence Eagles All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson was ruled inactive prior to the game after trying to give it a go at practice this week.—
Verb
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According to Spark Biomedical, this stimulation regulates the nervous system and influences blood flow.—
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The devices measure pollutants regulated by the EPA, including nitrogen oxides, ozone and particulate matter from sources like gas turbines, factories and heavy traffic.—
Verb
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In the past, American capitalism, despite its many faults, had managed to develop a safety net that compensated a little for its exploitations.—
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Ownership also involves financial responsibility, with car insurance playing a role in how people manage and protect their assets.—
Verb
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The state Department of Education controls public education, under the leadership of the governor and the Legislature.—
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The farmers also pitched in with efforts of their own, including adjusting fertilizer methods, controlling soil erosion and increasing on-site water retention.—
Verb
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Dominique could hardly contain himself in his seat.—
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Some fruit pits and seeds, like those in apples and pears, contain traces of cyanide, which is harmful to birds.—
Verb
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Consumers quickly turned to social media and OPS for answers after learning that diesel fuel was mixed with regular unleaded gasoline and distributed to gas stations operated by Costco, Murphy Express and King Soopers.—
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These include opening a sliding door, operating a toilet seat, ironing clothes, and brushing a human’s hair.—
Verb
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The project blends electric mobility with real-time AI while keeping the driver in control.—
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But Daniels kept getting hurt this season, managing to start only seven games and getting shut down in December after a series of injuries to his left knee, right hamstring and left elbow.—
Verb
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Officials said Bovino, who has overseen several controversial immigration operations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and New Orleans, said he is expected to lead enforcement efforts in Minnesota as well.—
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Andreas Wiseman, Executive Editor of International and Strategy, and Anthony D’Alessandro, Editorial Director, along with Justin Kroll, Deadline’s Film Editor, will continue in their roles overseeing the news site’s prominent film coverage.—
Cite this Entry
“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/govern. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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