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.
Cybersecurity was a main focus of the product launch, with Microsoft announcing a variety of features to ensure governance and accountability for AI agents, which are bots that can act on a user’s behalf.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
EET Fuels told the BBC in a statement: "Selectively chosen, historical permit exceedances from prior years in no way represent the current operational status, improving environmental performance, or governance of the refinery today."
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
The three ways that a democracy executes its governance are through legislation, regulation, and litigation in courts.
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
“I mean, it’s not just symbolism and performance. It’s real governance and management.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
In this confederacy, the clan mothers also played a key role in 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.
