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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
In the year 2120, the Earth is governed by five corporations: Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold.
—
Lauren Coates, Variety, 5 June 2025
However, federal courts aren’t governed by that state law passed in 2020.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Denver Post, 5 June 2025
What is the current state of mining? Amon: Mining in international waters is governed by the International Seabed Authority, an autonomous United Nations authority.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 5 June 2025
Those organizations want to police themselves, and have gone so far as to have a meeting earlier this year to lay down the rules to the NCAA at how that organization will govern those two top leagues.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for govern
Lauren Coates, Variety, 5 June 2025
However, federal courts aren’t governed by that state law passed in 2020.
—Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Denver Post, 5 June 2025
What is the current state of mining? Amon: Mining in international waters is governed by the International Seabed Authority, an autonomous United Nations authority.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 5 June 2025
Those organizations want to police themselves, and have gone so far as to have a meeting earlier this year to lay down the rules to the NCAA at how that organization will govern those two top leagues.
—Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for govern
Recent Examples of Synonyms for govern
Verb
-
In Alabama, after the state's Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are people, the state legislature had to step in to allow fertility clinics to continue their work.—
Jess Mador,
NPR,
7 June 2025
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The District Court for the District of South Carolina had ruled in favor of the NAACP following the organization's claims of racial gerrymandering involving South Carolina's 1st Congressional District on the state's coast.—
Alex Thomas,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
Verb
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While the federal government, not the state, regulates immigration, how should state and local personnel and resources be utilized for that end?—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2025
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Does the rule maker want to get into the business of regulating KPIs by industry?—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Verb
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Now managed by the National Trust, the estate is open to the public, allowing visitors to step inside and experience firsthand the setting of one of literature’s most enduring love stories.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
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In the government’s view, UBS’s American business, which manages $2.1 trillion for wealthy clients and lends them money, is a potential risk, and regulators want the bank to increase its ability to absorb steep losses there.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
10 June 2025
Verb
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The number of apartments built there is controlled by the state’s density bonus law, which allows projects that include affordable housing to include more units than permitted under local zoning laws.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 June 2025
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Ukraine currently controls only a fraction of Kursk.—
Joanna Kakissis,
NPR,
16 June 2025
Verb
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This newsletter contains graphic descriptions that some readers may find disturbing.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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As of Friday evening, the blaze has been fully contained.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Vienna owns and operates about 220,000 apartment units.—
Ryan Kellman,
NPR,
15 June 2025
-
An oil refinery was damaged in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, according to the firm operating it, which said no one was wounded.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2025
Verb
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Grateful for their progress and will continue to keep them in our prayers.—
Peter Aitken
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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So Far The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time The band’s guitar-heavy music, inspired by U.K. New Wave group the Jam, is what keeps those live shows enthralling.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2025
Verb
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A week later, Qasem Hassan learned that the School for Continuing Medical Education in Family Medicine, which oversaw the ethics course, had received a letter from several residents in the class.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
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Eventually the archipelago was divided, with the western islands becoming the independent nation of Samoa and the eastern ones becoming American Samoa, overseen by the Navy.—
Mark Thiessen,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/govern. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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