1
a
: royal authority : sovereignty
under the reign of the Stuart kings
b
: the dominion, sway, or influence of one resembling a monarch
the reign of the Puritan ministers
2
: the time during which someone (such as a sovereign) reigns
reigned; reigning; reigns
1
a
: to possess or exercise sovereign power : rule
b
: to hold office as chief of state although possessing little governing power
in England the sovereign reigns but does not rule
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be predominant or prevalent
chaos reigned in the classroom
Synonyms of reign
Examples of reign in a Sentence
Noun
She was a popular ruler throughout her reign.
the reign of Queen Elizabeth
his reign as department chairperson
her reign as team president
his reign as heavyweight boxing champion
the reign of digital technology
Verb
The king reigned in a time of peace and prosperity.
The lion reigns as king of the jungle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
Following the title victory, Gunther embarked on a lengthy World Heavyweight Championship reign.
—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
4 July 2026
His stage win is a historic moment, having taken yellow as the reigning Giro and Vuelta a España champion, the first time a Giro winner has taken yellow on stage one since Miguel Indurain in 1993.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for reign
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
But much of the repressive and corrupt structure in place during Maduro’s reign remains, with no concrete date set for democratic presidential elections.
—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
Following the title victory, Gunther embarked on a lengthy World Heavyweight Championship reign.
—
Rob Wolkenbrod,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Verb
Colombian journalists and fans in Kansas City Stadium were loving Cabo Verde’s attempt to knock out the reigning champions.
—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
4 July 2026
His stage win is a historic moment, having taken yellow as the reigning Giro and Vuelta a España champion, the first time a Giro winner has taken yellow on stage one since Miguel Indurain in 1993.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for reign
Cite this Entry
“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reign
1 of 2 noun1
: the authority or rule of a monarch
2
: the time during which a monarch reigns
reign
2 of 2 verb1
: to govern as a monarch
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be usual or widespread
silence reigned
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