reign

1 of 2

noun

ˈrān How to pronounce reign (audio)
Synonyms of reignnext
1
a
: royal authority : sovereignty
under the reign of the Stuart kings
b
: the dominion, sway, or influence of one resembling a monarch
the reign of the Puritan ministers
2
: the time during which someone (such as a sovereign) reigns

reign

2 of 2

verb

reigned; reigning; reigns

intransitive verb

1
a
: to possess or exercise sovereign power : rule
b
: to hold office as chief of state although possessing little governing power
in England the sovereign reigns but does not rule
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be predominant or prevalent
chaos reigned in the classroom

Synonyms

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of reign in a Sentence

Noun She was a popular ruler throughout her reign. the reign of Queen Elizabeth his reign as department chairperson her reign as team president his reign as heavyweight boxing champion the reign of digital technology Verb The king reigned in a time of peace and prosperity. The lion reigns as king of the jungle.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While some monarchs reign until their deaths, the Dutch royal family has a tradition of abdicating the throne for their heir to take over during their lifetime. —Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2024 Trader Joe’s launched an eight-seed Tasty Eight Tournament to see which sports-spectating snack reigns supreme. —Kara Peeler, Sunset Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for reign 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English regne, from Anglo-French, from Latin regnum, from reg-, rex king — more at royal

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of reign was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing reign

Dictionary Entries Near reign

reify

reign

reignite

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

reign

1 of 2 noun
ˈrān How to pronounce reign (audio)
1
: the authority or rule of a monarch
2
: the time during which a monarch reigns

reign

2 of 2 verb
1
: to govern as a monarch
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be usual or widespread
silence reigned

More from Merriam-Webster on reign

Nglish: Translation of reign for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of reign for Arabic Speakers

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