English Reference

Word

govern

Phoneticsgov·ern, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈɡəvɝn/

UK/ɡˈʌvən/

Definitions

01to rule a country

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to officially run a country, city, or organization and make its laws.

v. to exercise sovereign authority or administer public policy for a state, organization, or people.

“The country is governed by a group of elected officials who meet every week.”

“The coalition government struggled to govern effectively while facing constant internal disagreements over economic policy.”

Usage

Often used in the passive voice when describing how a country is led.

02to influence or control

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to have a strong influence on how something happens or how someone behaves.

v. to exercise a deciding or determining influence on an outcome, behavior, or process.

“Common sense should govern your decisions when you are traveling alone.”

“The laws of physics govern the movement of the planets around the sun.”

Usage

Frequently used with abstract subjects like 'laws', 'rules', or 'principles'.

03to restrain

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to keep your feelings or behavior under control.

v. to restrain or control one's actions, emotions, or impulses.

“You must learn to govern your temper if you want to succeed in this job.”

“He found it increasingly difficult to govern his mounting frustration during the long and repetitive meeting.”

Antonyms

04grammar

C2 · Proficiency Science Technical · Academic

v. in grammar, when a word makes you use a specific form or ending for another word.

v. to require that a following word take a specific grammatical case, mood, or preposition.

“In this sentence, the preposition 'with' is governed by the verb.”

“In many inflected languages, the choice of preposition directly governs the case of the following noun phrase.”

Usage

Used specifically in linguistic and grammatical analysis.

Synonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “govern” in context.

Verb

01. govern by

“The country is governed by a coalition of three different political parties.”

verb + prep

Real-World Examples

“His cousin Adegboyega Oyetola governed the state from 2018 to 2022 before losing to Adeleke.”
Al Jazeera 14 Aug 2026
“A: Yes, Spain has lots of rules governing ride-hailing services.”
The Local 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, drive, govern”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

VERB

govern(B2)

Domain

Grammar

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
Frequency
Frequent
Level
B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
Updated

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