The meaning of GOVERN is to exercise continuous sovereign authority over; especially : to control and direct the making and administration of policy in. How to use govern in a sentence.

Govern, meaning to rule over something, is almost always used to refer to government or politics, as in The president did his best to govern the country during the war.

govern verb (RULE) Add to word list [ I/T ] to control and be responsible for the public business of a country, state, city, or other organized group:

To govern a place such as a country, or its people, means to be officially in charge of the place, and to have responsibility for making laws, managing the economy, and controlling public services.

[transitive, intransitive] govern (something) to legally control a country or its people and be responsible for introducing new laws, organizing public services, etc. The country is governed by elected …

1. to rule by right of authority, as a sovereign does: to govern a nation. 2. to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; guide: the motives governing a decision. 3. to hold in check; control: to …

Members of the party have governed [= ruled] the country for the last 20 years. The tribe is governed by a 10-member council. They want to form their own country and govern themselves.

To govern is to rule, lead, oversee, or otherwise control. Each U.S. state has its own governor, whose job it is to govern the affairs of that state.

govern meaning, definition, what is govern: to officially and legally control a coun...: Learn more.

Mar 20, 2026 · govern (third-person singular simple present governs, present participle governing, simple past and past participle governed) (transitive) To make and administer the public policy and …