What does "govern" mean?
The act of governing
Govern
/ˈɡʌv.ən/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of governing
- Grammar: govern is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: regulate, rule, administer, administer.
- Useful contrasts: misruling, abdicate, allow.
- Usage evidence: In Great Britain the king reigns, but does not govern.
How to use "govern"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "govern" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "govern" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "govern" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "govern" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "govern" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "regulate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "govern", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of governing
Verb
- 1 To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in. transitive
"The old king governed the land wisely."
- 2 direct or strongly influence the behavior of wordnet
- 3 To exercise political authority; to run a government. intransitive
"Americans are not libertarians in the Cato Institute sense of the word, but they are folk libertarians in this sense of impulsive behaviour, which is a feature of American life that anyone who wants to govern the United States, Democratic or Republican, has to be aware of."
- 4 bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations wordnet
- 5 To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain. transitive
"Govern yourselves like civilized people."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 exercise authority over; as of nations wordnet
- 7 To exercise a deciding or determining influence on. transitive
"Chance governs the outcome of many card games."
- 8 require to be in a certain grammatical case, voice, or mood wordnet
- 9 To have or exercise a determining influence. intransitive
- 10 To handle, to manage, to oversee (a matter, an affair, a household, etc.). obsolete, transitive
- 11 To control the speed, flow etc. of; to regulate. transitive
"a valve that governs fuel intake"
- 12 To direct the course of, to guide in some direction, to steer. obsolete, transitive
- 13 To look after, to take care of, to tend to (someone or some plant). obsolete, transitive
"from my vncles country of Medea, Where all my youth I haue bene gouerned, […]"
- 14 To manage, to control, to work (a tool or mechanical device). obsolete, transitive
- 15 To require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word. transitive
"In Latin (Russian, German, etc.), not only verbs, but also prepositions, may govern the noun, pronoun or noun-phrase dependent upon them in a particular case: e.g. ad urbem, ‘to the city’ (ad ‘takes the accusative’: urbem) v. ab urbe, ‘from the city’ (ab ‘takes the ablative’: urbe)."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"In Great Britain the king reigns, but does not govern."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "govern"?
Common synonyms include: regulate, rule, administer, administer, administer email flow, administrate.
How do you use "govern" in a sentence?
In Great Britain the king reigns, but does not govern.
How do you pronounce "govern"?
Pronounced /ˈɡʌv.ən/.
Etymology
From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “I steer, drive, govern”).