1
a
: royal authority : sovereignty
under the reign of the Stuart kings
b
: the dominion, sway, or influence of one resembling a monarch
the reign of the Puritan ministers
2
: the time during which someone (such as a sovereign) reigns
reigned; reigning; reigns
1
a
: to possess or exercise sovereign power : rule
b
: to hold office as chief of state although possessing little governing power
in England the sovereign reigns but does not rule
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be predominant or prevalent
chaos reigned in the classroom
Synonyms
Examples of reign in a Sentence
Noun
She was a popular ruler throughout her reign.
the reign of Queen Elizabeth
his reign as department chairperson
her reign as team president
his reign as heavyweight boxing champion
the reign of digital technology
Verb
The king reigned in a time of peace and prosperity.
The lion reigns as king of the jungle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025
What To Know On Friday, The Telepathy Tapes leaped ahead in views over Rogan's show, but its reign didn't last long.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Kasey Nelson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Then come more tests: the reigning champion Boston Celtics, a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers, and another showdown with the Hawks leading into the All-Star break.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reign 
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Noun
Refresh for latest…: Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King continued its reign at the top of the international box office pride this weekend with an additional $53.5M from 52 material markets.
—Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025
What To Know On Friday, The Telepathy Tapes leaped ahead in views over Rogan's show, but its reign didn't last long.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
Floor: Chloe Negrete (NC State), the reigning ACC champion on the event, scored a 9.85 last week and has a career-high of 9.975.
—Kasey Nelson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Then come more tests: the reigning champion Boston Celtics, a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers, and another showdown with the Hawks leading into the All-Star break.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reign
Dictionary Entries Near reign
Cite this Entry
“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reign
1 of 2 noun1
: the authority or rule of a monarch
2
: the time during which a monarch reigns
reign
2 of 2 verb1
: to govern as a monarch
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be usual or widespread
silence reigned
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