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
reigned; reigning; reigns
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
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
Jason Phillips, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2025
The most notable of these is the catastrophic Chicxulub impact, which happened around 66 million years ago and wiped out two-thirds of life on Earth and ended the reign of the dinosaurs.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025
Two-time reigning national champion UConn climbed six spots to No. 19 after winning at Marquette, while Missouri jumped five spots to No. 15 after beating Mississippi State.
—Aaron Beard, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reign 
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Noun
Nowadays, when grocery delivery apps and superstores reign supreme, the story of Ted's grocery store serves as a reminder of both losses and potential gains by reconnecting with the past.
—Jason Phillips, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2025
The most notable of these is the catastrophic Chicxulub impact, which happened around 66 million years ago and wiped out two-thirds of life on Earth and ended the reign of the dinosaurs.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Verb
And, once again, in case the severity of the situation hasn’t sunk in just yet — the reigning Western Conference champions just totally freaked out and traded away their franchise cornerstone without much logical impetus.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025
Two-time reigning national champion UConn climbed six spots to No. 19 after winning at Marquette, while Missouri jumped five spots to No. 15 after beating Mississippi State.
—Aaron Beard, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reign
Dictionary Entries Near reign
Cite this Entry
“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reign
1 of 2 noun1
: the authority or rule of a monarch
2
: the time during which a monarch reigns
reign
2 of 2 verb1
: to govern as a monarch
2
: to exercise authority in the manner of a monarch
3
: to be usual or widespread
silence reigned
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