governing

UK: /ˈgʌvə^rnɪŋ/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gov•ern /ˈgʌvɚn/   v. 

1. Government to rule by right of authority, as a king or queen or elected administrator does: [~ + object]
   to govern a nation.
   [no object]
   I'm sure he governs fairly.
2. to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; control:
   [~ + object] the motives that govern a decision.
3. to hold in check;
   control:
   [~ + object] to govern one's temper.

gov•ern•a•ble, adj. 
gov•ern•ance /ˈgʌvɚnəns/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gov•ern  (guv′ərn), v.t. 

1. Government to rule over by right of authority:
   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 govern one's temper.
4. to serve as or constitute a law for:
   the principles governing a case.
5. Grammar to be regularly accompanied by or require the use of (a particular form). In They helped us, the verb helped governs the objective case of the pronoun we.
6. Mechanical Engineering to regulate the speed of (an engine) with a governor.

v.i. 

7. Government to exercise the function of government.
8. to have predominating influence.

• Greek kybernân to steer
• Latin gubernāre to steer (a ship)
• Old French gouverner
• Middle English 1250–1300

gov′ern•a•ble, adj. 
gov′ern•a•bil′i•ty, gov′ern•a•ble•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. reign. See rule. 
• 2. control, sway, influence, conduct, supervise, superintend.

Antonyms

• 1. obey.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

govern / ˈɡʌv^ən/ verb (mainly tr)

1. (also intr) to direct and control the actions, affairs, policies, functions, etc of (a political unit, organization, nation, etc); rule
2. to exercise restraint over; regulate or direct: to govern one's temper
3. to be a predominant influence on (something); decide or determine (something): his injury governed his decision to avoid sports
4. to control the speed of (an engine, machine, etc) using a governor
5. to control the rate of flow of (a fluid) by using an automatic valve
6. (of a word) to determine the inflection of (another word): Latin nouns govern adjectives that modify them

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French gouverner, from Latin gubernāre to steer, from Greek kubernan

ˈgovernable adjective