governance
Americannoun
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government, control, or authority
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the action, manner, or system of governing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of governance
1325–75; Middle English governaunce < Old French < Medieval Latin gubernantia; see govern, -ance
Explanation
You've heard of governors and government, and governance is related. It’s the nuts and bolts of how towns or states or countries operate, and it can also apply to companies. Corporate governance is how large companies are organized and run. Governments use the powers you give it to pass laws and enforce them, fix your roads, collect taxes — all those things you can’t do alone — and the act of doing that is called governance. Corporations have their own sort of government — they're run by boards of directors who tackle issues of governance, making sure the company is run responsibly. Scholars study theories of governance — ideas about how society should be organized to benefit everyone.
Vocabulary lists containing governance
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
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Content Summary 5.6: Reactions to Imperialism
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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.
"Given its young demographics and 'Digital India' aspirations, it makes sense for the nation to build and maintain its own internet infrastructure for security and governance purposes," she says.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Shared governance is the system in which faculty and administrators share authority over how a university is run.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
The combination of heavy investment and thin AI governance raises questions, but also a lesson in back to basics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Tyler joined the board as a nonexecutive director in April 2025 and was appointed interim chairman on May 26 after BP removed Albert Manifold, citing “serious concerns” about governance and conduct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Indigenous civilizations were based on advanced agriculture and well-developed systems of governance.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
