govern
Americanverb (used with object)
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to rule over by right of authority.
to govern a nation.
- Synonyms:
- reign
- Antonyms:
- obey
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to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; guide.
the motives governing a decision.
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to hold in check; control.
to govern one's temper.
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to serve as or constitute a law for.
the principles governing a case.
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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.
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to regulate the speed of (an engine) with a governor.
verb (used without object)
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to exercise the function of government.
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to have predominating influence.
verb
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(also intr) to direct and control the actions, affairs, policies, functions, etc, of (a political unit, organization, nation, etc); rule
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to exercise restraint over; regulate or direct
to govern one's temper
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to be a predominant influence on (something); decide or determine (something)
his injury governed his decision to avoid sports
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to control the speed of (an engine, machine, etc) using a governor
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to control the rate of flow of (a fluid) by using an automatic valve
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(of a word) to determine the inflection of (another word)
Latin nouns govern adjectives that modify them
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.
Related Words
See rule.
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing govern
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
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Persepolis
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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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.
Here, perhaps, we are coming to the nub of the issue, the gap of expectations between the governed and those who seek to govern.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Union leaders also pointed to stronger protections against AI, including new guidelines that govern how studios should use generative AI and that strongly favor “human performances.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Mr. Farage has no more than three years before the next national election due in 2029 in which to prove Reform can govern as well as it can campaign.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
The elections on Thursday cover councils in London and several other parts of England, as well as the devolved administrations that govern Scotland and Wales.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
There were 573 sovereign tribal nations as of December 15, 2018, each with the recognized power to govern and exist as an independent entity.
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.
