Synonyms

govern

American

[guhv-ern] / ˈgʌv ərn /

verb (used with object)

to rule over by right of authority.

to govern a nation.

Synonyms:

reign

Antonyms:

obey
to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; guide.

the motives governing a decision.

Synonyms:

superintend, supervise, conduct, influence, sway, control
to hold in check; control.

to govern one's temper.
to serve as or constitute a law for.

the principles governing a case.
Grammar. to be regularly accompanied by or require the use of (a particular form). In They helped us, the verb helped governs the objective case of the pronoun we.
to regulate the speed of (an engine) with a governor.

verb (used without object)

to exercise the function of government.
to have predominating influence.

govern British

/ ˈɡʌvən /

verb

(also intr) to direct and control the actions, affairs, policies, functions, etc, of (a political unit, organization, nation, etc); rule
to exercise restraint over; regulate or direct

to govern one's temper
to be a predominant influence on (something); decide or determine (something)

his injury governed his decision to avoid sports
to control the speed of (an engine, machine, etc) using a governor
to control the rate of flow of (a fluid) by using an automatic valve
(of a word) to determine the inflection of (another word)

Latin nouns govern adjectives that modify them

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does govern mean? Govern means to rule over something with authority, as in In a democracy, people elect those who will govern them. Govern can also mean to hold something in check, like your temper. And govern can mean to act as a guiding force, as when your stomach governs your food choices. Govern, meaning to rule over something, is almost always used to refer to government or politics, as in The president did his best to govern the country during the war. Presidents and prime ministers are examples of people who govern countries or nations. A person who governs something might be called a governor but is just as likely to be referred to by an official title. Govern can also mean to control or curb something, as in The waiter wanted to shout at the rude customer but he managed to govern his anger. Govern is also used to mean to restrain influence over something by acting as a guide, as in The lawyer always let his strong sense of justice govern his actions. Example: Most voters were undecided who would be better at governing the country.

Synonym Usage

See rule.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of govern

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French gouverner, from Latin gubernāre “to steer (a ship),” from Greek kybernân “to steer”; cf. cybernetics ( def. )

Explanation

To govern is to rule, lead, oversee, or otherwise control. Each U.S. state has its own governor, whose job it is to govern the affairs of that state. While it's true that governors govern — that is, they head the executive branch of their state government — there are lots of other ways to use the verb govern. Almost anything that controls or has a lot of influence over something else can be said to govern. The rules of tennis, for example, govern the way that game is played. In mechanics, a device that controls other devices is called a governor. My dog's basic needs govern the way my household is run: his schedule is our schedule.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

govern governs governed governing

So, their focus is seeking to steadily build the case for independence in how they choose to govern.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Fundamental physical constants are numbers that govern how the universe operates.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

The United States, China and the European Union are taking different paths to govern artificial intelligence, as calls grow worldwide to rein in its most powerful systems.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

If local injury were enough, each could govern the globe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026

She learned about the four humors that govern the body, how to plant corn by moonlight, and where the Antipodes are.

From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman

Where U.S. law does not apply, Texas state law governs, the agreement states.

From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026

If Mamdani has so far shown a pragmatic streak in how he governs that can feel at odds with the loftier promises of his campaign, some friction with his most hard-line voters might be inevitable.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026

Along with changing the meeting requirement, Amendment EE would approve other changes to how the city of Los Angeles governs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Officials in Yamanashi and neighbouring Shizuoka prefecture, which governs the southern part of Fuji, have seen a rise in off-season and unplanned climbs, some of which have left climbers stranded.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

For example: Here’s an explanation of the rhetorical term syllepsis: “the use of a word that relates to, qualifies, or governs two or more other words but has a different meaning in relation to each.”

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

The Tuvalu Trust Fund is governed by a three-member board with representatives from Tuvalu, New Zealand and Australia.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

Unlike messier domains, math has been governed by precise rules of logic for millennia.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

He previously governed Malawi between 2014 and 2020.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

The company has not yet laid out how the fund will be governed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

About how, before we were enslaved, we governed ourselves and ruled our own land.

From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz

After the 2021 elections, Abbas's party was part of a governing coalition led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, which lasted a year before collapsing.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

As prime ministers, courtiers and aristocrats, the Gladstone, Lascelles and Trevelyan families were at the heart of the governing elite down the decades.

From Barron's ● Oct. 25, 2026

He is governing and loathsome, with a knack for manipulation that merely foreshadows what audiences witness in the film’s second half.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

Tafoya, meanwhile, was mocked by many upon her entry to the race, as former Sunday Night Football sideline reporters don’t have substantial governing backgrounds.

From Slate ● Oct. 22, 2026

The Osage Tribal Council was the only governing body to publicly single out and praise White and his team, including the undercover operatives.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023