governed; governing; governs
1
a
: to exercise continuous sovereign authority over
especially
: to control and direct the making and administration of policy in
The country was governed by a king.
b
: to rule without sovereign power and usually without having the authority to determine basic policy
2
a
archaic
: manipulate
b
: to control the speed of (a machine) especially by automatic means
3
a
: to control, direct, or strongly influence the actions and conduct of
b
: to exert a determining or guiding influence in or over
income must govern expenditure
c
: to hold in check : restrain
was told to govern her emotions
4
: to require (a word) to be in a certain case
5
: to serve as a precedent or deciding principle for
customs that govern human decisions
1
: to prevail or have decisive influence : control
In all situations allow reason to govern.
2
: to exercise authority
Examples of govern in a Sentence
The tribe is governed by a 10-member council.
They want to form their own country and govern themselves.
The scandal limited her ability to govern effectively.
How would he govern if he were elected president?
She suggested changing the state's laws governing the sale of alcohol.
The council governs fishing in the region.
We will be studying the forces that govern the Earth's climate.
Tradition governs all aspects of their lives.
He allows himself to be governed by his emotions.
Recent Examples on the Web
Those organizations want to police themselves, and have gone so far as to have a meeting earlier this year to lay down the rules to the NCAA at how that organization will govern those two top leagues.
—
Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
Your submission will be governed by our general Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 May 2025
The Aston Villa poster was a fitting gift for the Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Football Association (the game's governing body in England) and a vocal Villa fan.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 22 May 2025
Take, for example, the rules governing federal grants.
—Nikita Lalwani, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for govern
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
Your submission will be governed by our general Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 May 2025
The Aston Villa poster was a fitting gift for the Prince of Wales, who is patron of the Football Association (the game's governing body in England) and a vocal Villa fan.
—Janine Henni, People.com, 22 May 2025
Take, for example, the rules governing federal grants.
—Nikita Lalwani, Foreign Affairs, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for govern
Cite this Entry
“Govern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/govern. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
govern
verb
gov·ern
ˈgəv-ərn 
1
: to exercise authority over : rule
the queen governed wisely
2
: to control the speed of by automatic means
3
a
: to control, direct, or strongly influence the actions and conduct of
governed by his emotions
b
: to hold in check : restrain
our income governs our spending
4
: to require a word to be in a certain case or mood
in English a transitive verb governs a pronoun in the objective case
5
: to serve as a rule or law for
etiquette governing their behavior
Legal Definition
govern
transitive verb
gov·ern
ˈgə-vərn
1
: to exercise continuous sovereign authority over
especially
: to control and direct the administration of policy in
2
: to exert a determining or guiding influence in or over
the testator's assets are governed by will substitutes—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.
W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.3
: to serve as a precedent or deciding principle for
the law governing bills of lading
United States v. Leon governs the case at bar
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