Synonyms for govern
ˈgʌv ərngov·ern

English Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. govern

   Govern carries the idea of authoritative administration or some exercise of authority that is at once effective and continuous; control is effective, but may be momentary or occasional. One controls what he holds or can hold at will absolutely in check; as, a skilful horseman controls a spirited horse; a person controls his temper; we say to one who is excited, "control yourself." A person commands another when he has, or claims, the right to make that other do his will, with power of inflicting penalty if not obeyed; he controls another whom he can effectually prevent from doing anything contrary to his will; he governs one whom he actually does cause, regularly or constantly, to obey his will; a parent may command a child whom he can not govern or control. The best teachers are not greatly prone to command, but govern or control their pupils largely by other means. Command is, however, often used in the sense of securing, as well as requiring, submission or obedience, as when we speak of a commanding influence; a man commands the situation when he can shape events as he pleases; a fortress commands the region when no enemy can pass against its resistance. Govern implies the exercise of knowledge and judgment as well as power. To rule is more absolute and autocratic than to govern; to sway is to move by quiet but effectual influence; to mold is not only to influence feeling and action, but to shape character; to manage is to secure by skilful contrivance the doing of one's will by those whom one can not directly control; a wise mother, by gentle means, sways the feelings and molds the lives of her children; to be able to manage servants is an important element of good housekeeping. The word reign, once so absolute, now simply denotes that one holds the official station of sovereign in a monarchy, with or without effective power; the Queen of England reigns; the Czar of Russia both reigns and rules.

   Synonyms:
   command, control, curb, direct, influence, manage, mold, reign, reign over, restrain, rule, sway

   Antonyms:
   be in subjection, be subject, comply, obey, submit, yield

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. govern

   Synonyms:
   rule, direct, control, moderate, guide, sway, supervise, manage, command, conduct

   Antonyms:
   misrule, misdirect, miscontrol

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. regulate, regularize, regularise, order, governverb

   bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations

   "We cannot regulate the way people dress"; "This town likes to regulate"

   Synonyms:
   put, ordain, regularise, order, dictate, arrange, set up, say, grade, ordinate, range, influence, determine, mold, baffle, consecrate, rule, enjoin, modulate, rank, regulate, rate, tell, shape, prescribe, place, regularize

2. governverb

   direct or strongly influence the behavior of

   "His belief in God governs his conduct"

   Synonyms:
   regularize, rule, order, regularise, regulate

3. govern, ruleverb

   exercise authority over; as of nations

   "Who is governing the country now?"

   Synonyms:
   reign, rule, rein, predominate, regularize, harness, dominate, find, order, prevail, decree, regulate, regularise

4. governverb

   require to be in a certain grammatical case, voice, or mood

   "most transitive verbs govern the accusative case in German"

   Synonyms:
   regularize, rule, order, regularise, regulate

Matched Categories

1. • Control
   • Require

Dictionary of English Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. governverb

   Synonyms:
   conduct, manage, supervise, regulate, have the direction of, have the charge of

2. governverb

   Synonyms:
   direct, guide, steer

3. governverb

   Synonyms:
   control, restrain, curb, bridle, rule, sway, command

4. governverb

   Synonyms:
   rule, have control, exercise authority, hold the reins, bear sway, have the charge

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. governverb

   Synonyms:
   direct, control, regulate, command, reign, influence, restrain, bridle, guide

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "govern":

   regulate, steer, guide, manage

How to pronounce govern?

How to say govern in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use govern in a sentence?

1. William James:

   Why should we think upon things that are lovely? Because thinking determines life. It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment. Environment modifies life but does not govern life. The soul is stronger than its surroundings.

2. Cassandra Kaczocha:

   I thought she'd govern like she campaigned, and we didn't get that, we got a very dictatorial style of governing, just like we did with Rahm, and it's disappointing.

3. Jeremy Corbyn:

   Theresa May has now accepted what the country has known for months : Theresa May can not govern, and nor can her divided and disintegrating party, the Conservative Party has utterly failed the country over Brexit and is unable to improve people's lives or deal with their most pressing needs. Parliament is deadlocked and the Conservatives offer no solutions to the other major challenges facing our country.

4. President Barack Obama:

   She can govern and she can start here, Day One, more experienced than any non-vice-president has ever been who aspires to this office.

5. Baron Henry Peter Brougham:

   Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave.