English · Word Candidate

govern

/ˈɡʌv.ən/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: governs · governing · governed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.

Verb

Examples

The old king governed the land wisely.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To exercise political authority; to run a government.

Verb

Examples

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.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

The act of governing

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “govern” mean?

To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.

Is “govern” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.