as in controlled
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1
as in ruled
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 regulated
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 operated
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 governed
Sean Nathaniel, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Joshua Haiar, States Newsroom, 9 Jan. 2026
The proud and courageous Iranian people are rising up against the tyrannical, despotic and oppressive regime that imposed its vicious rule in 1979 and has governed by fear and murder ever since.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Jan. 2026
They are governed by particular tree species that are protected depending on the size and condition of the tree, not just its age, and where it is located.
—Dallas Morning News, 8 Jan. 2026
Scott Venable, lead pastor of Northwood Church in Keller, said the city has never been at risk of being governed by sharia or any other foreign laws.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
What drew immediate attention was not only the informality of Maduro’s clothing, but the presence of a globally recognizable brand in a moment typically governed by the visual codes of state power.
—Debbie Millman, Time, 7 Jan. 2026
The perception of fairness and the application of hard evidence to any punishment is a vital part of the compact between the governing and the governed.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
In the network heyday, the ratings were governed by Nielsen math.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
That means use will not be uniform nationwide and remains governed by state law and the terms of each agreement.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
But done intelligently, archiving ensures that all data, whether active or dormant, remains accessible, governed and usable.
—Verb
The authority is governed by a seven-member board appointed by the governor.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for governed
Adjective
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Not in an overly aggressive way, just pretty controlled, moving the ball around.—
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This concentration of energy creates a tiny, controlled burn that interrupts the faulty circuit causing the tremor.—
Verb
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The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner first ruled his death an apparent suicide.—
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But the Florida Supreme Court in 2017 ruled the new law was unconstitutional, saying jury verdicts needed to be unanimous.—
Verb
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There’s a kind of social contract under which utilities operate essentially as monopolies to provide a public service and in exchange are regulated.—
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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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Unlike more public figures of the regime, Martín operated largely behind the scenes, embodying the financial-intelligence nexus that helped sustain the regime amid sanctions and economic collapse.—
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Roland Busch, President and CEO of Siemens AG, described the effort as a shift in how physical systems are designed and operated.—
Verb
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Three City Hall employees reported that their wallets, which contained cash, credit cards, health savings account cards, and personal ID were stolen from their offices, per Boston Police reports.—
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The damage was largely contained to what firefighters call a wildland-urban interface fire, not a larger conflagration like the one developing in the Palisades.—
Verb
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Even amid some clunky exposition, Welcome to Derry has at least managed to offer compelling horror set pieces to keep heart rates up.—
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In Week 5, Matthew Stafford passed for 389 yards and three touchdowns, but the Rams converted on only four of 10 third downs, and after taking a 17-7 lead into halftime, managed only nine points in the final two quarters and overtime.—
Verb
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Even more public-identifying figures on Letterboxd — like Sean Baker — have curbed their activity on the platform, and other stars like Ayo Edebiri (and now Williams) deleted their accounts entirely.—
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The 11 rookies — along with less-than 30 leaders like Bryce Young, Jaycee Horn and Derrick Brown — are a large reason why the Panthers curbed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ four-year reign as NFC South champs.—
Verb
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Taking calcium and vitamin D together is generally safe and helps support bone health when supervised by a doctor.—
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He will be supervised for five years, in line with his six-year 2023 sentence.—
Cite this Entry
“Governed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governed. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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