Govern Meaning
/ˈɡʌv.ən/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
verbTo exercise political authority; to run a government.
Sentence Examples
In Great Britain the king reigns, but does not govern.
That made him govern himself.
It is undemocratic to govern an area without an electoral mandate.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The elected council will ____ the town for the next four years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The primary purpose of any democratic system is to ____ the people fairly and protect their individual rights.
Word Origin & History
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”). Displaced native Old English wealdan, whence modern dialectical English wald (“to govern”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Americans are not libertarians in the Cato Institute sense of the word, but they are folk libertarians in this sense of impulsive behaviour, which is a feature of American life that anyone who wants to govern the United States, Democratic or Republican, has to be aware of."
— 2025 April 28, Ross Douthat, Nick Adams, “Condition of America”, in New Left Review, number 152, →ISSN, archived from the original on 22 Aug 2025:
"Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else."
— 2016, Justin Deschamps, Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else.:
"This female hyena also gets erections and is larger, more aggressive than the male hyenas and lives in matrilineal clans of up to 80 individuals governed by an alpha female matriarch."
— 2022 June 12, Katie Hunt, “How zoology got female animals all wrong”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 Aug 2022:
"The weight and c.g. of the aircraft were within limits at takeoff and were calculated to have remained so until the tail began to disintegrate in flight. Both engines were developing a high level of power at impact, and the APU was rotating at or near governed speed. The landing gear, flaps, and spoiler/speed brakes were retracted. There was no evidence of structural or system failures other than those directly resulting from the fire."
— 1968 April 18, National Transportation Safety Board, “2.1 Analysis”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Mohawk Airlines, Inc., BAC 1-11, N1116J, Near Blossburg, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1967, archived from the original on 24 Jun 2022, page 33:
"from my vncles country of Medea,
Where all my youth I haue bene gouerned, […]"
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The elected council will ____ the town for the next four years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The primary purpose of any democratic system is to ____ the people fairly and protect their individual rights.