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.
Eventually, Muslim Americans were empowered to be a part of America’s shifting governance, while also changing the narrative around Islam.
From Slate ● Nov. 2, 2026
“I haven’t changed a bit in the 30 years, and so I’ll continue to give people the kind of common sense governance that they deserve.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Mr. Specht argues that the “the ownership society ceded a lot of autonomy to local communities” and that “local governance has become little more than a blanket veto on any proposal for new development.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Meanwhile, those companies improving corporate governance as part of Korea’s value-up program are also in focus.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
At some point early in the summer, he pumped out a thirty-page memo about corporate governance that was evidently so thorough and cogent it became instantly legendary.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
