1
as in ruling
to exercise authority or power over
the president is elected in order to govern the country, not to follow public opinion polls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in regulating
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
you need to govern your speech and be able to communicate your outrage without resorting to profanity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in managing
to look after and make decisions about
the company's finances are governed by its chief financial officer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of governing
The Commission is comprised of 13 commissioners who are appointed for terms of up to 5 years by the governor general on the advice of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, whose authority is exercised by the federal Cabinet of the governing party in the Canadian Parliament.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Adams, who finished fourth in the crowded Democratic primary for mayor in 2025, added that women, in her experience, take a noticeably different approach to governing than men.
—Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Homelessness, drug abuse and related crimes have increased relentlessly under the watch of local homelessness experts and a governing body that is dominated by liberal Democrats and those with an even more extreme view to the left.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Otherwise, the questions dealt with, at best, peripheral matters that may be trendy on social media but have little or nothing to do with governing the nation’s most populous and complex state.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Trump has taken other unprecedented steps to try to pressure the Fed, including an attempt last August to fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Fed’s governing board, who was appointed by Biden.
—Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
It's become the default mode of governing for majorities in Congress as bipartisanship on major issues fades away.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
And the rules governing acceptable care and safety measures become much less clear.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The rollbacks included minimum wage requirements for home healthcare workers and people with disabilities, and rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines.
—Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
Adams, who finished fourth in the crowded Democratic primary for mayor in 2025, added that women, in her experience, take a noticeably different approach to governing than men.
—Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Homelessness, drug abuse and related crimes have increased relentlessly under the watch of local homelessness experts and a governing body that is dominated by liberal Democrats and those with an even more extreme view to the left.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
Otherwise, the questions dealt with, at best, peripheral matters that may be trendy on social media but have little or nothing to do with governing the nation’s most populous and complex state.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
Trump has taken other unprecedented steps to try to pressure the Fed, including an attempt last August to fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Fed’s governing board, who was appointed by Biden.
—Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
It's become the default mode of governing for majorities in Congress as bipartisanship on major issues fades away.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
And the rules governing acceptable care and safety measures become much less clear.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The rollbacks included minimum wage requirements for home healthcare workers and people with disabilities, and rules governing exposure to harmful substances and safety procedures at mines.
—Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for governing
Verb
-
Among those still at large is the group leader Milan Radoicic, a politician and wealthy businessman with ties to Serbia’s ruling populist party and President Aleksandar Vucic.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In March, a federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking every major vaccine policy change made in the last year, ruling that Kennedy and the ACIP committee had ignored the traditional scientific process for establishing recommendations.—
Katy Golvala,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the local level, laws and practices regulating gun dealers can vary widely from city to city.—
Connor Sheets,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In much the same way, the government could pass new laws regulating AI firms’ commercial activities.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Stafford is 38 and managing degenerative back issues.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Micky Arison is listed as managing general partner.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Till the final whistle, or James’ final words, leaving Toyota Center on Friday with a controlling advantage en route to a potential second-round showdown with the defending champs, that desperation was evident.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The company completed a recapitalization in October that cemented its structure as a nonprofit with a controlling stake in its for-profit business.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Leaving Italy for Paris, Jarmusch said the Italian equivalent of TSA had asked him what was in the box containing his Golden Lion.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Ceasar Mitchell, an attorney representing KMT, told the DAFC board that Council member Linda Pritchett, who represents the district containing the Project Mapco site, wrote a letter in support of the tax break.—
Zachary Hansen,
AJC.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The annual operating budget of the district is $73 million, of which salaries and benefits are $53 million, according to the district.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The company’s bid fell apart last year, however, after a last-minute item was inserted into the state budget transferring the station’s operating permit to the Department of Administrative Services — thus keeping it out of private hands.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While his hedge fund invested in fossil fuels, Steyer spent millions to protect a California law aimed at curbing planet-warming emissions.—
Sophie Austin,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a group dedicated to hunters and fisherman, helped develop and pass the Chronic Wasting Disease Research and Management Act, which authorizes an annual $70 million investment through 2028 to fund research aimed at curbing the spread of the disease.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The county is overseeing design and construction for the cabins project, which is expected to be completed by the summer of 2027.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
There and throughout the West Bank, voting determines the makeup of local councils tasked with overseeing water, roads and electricity.—
Sam Metz,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Governing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/governing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
