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
Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
The two blockbuster trades ushered in a new era of five-out basketball at Madison Square Garden, where spacing and three-point shooting reign supreme.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Dec. 2024
Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Finally, reigning it all in were massive, hydraulically assisted multi-piston Baer disc brakes at all four corners that always had more than enough bite.
—Peter Nelson, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reign 
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Noun
There were indications that Bashar Assad’s regime could struggle to maintain its grip on power in Syria — but the military assault that ended his family’s more than 50-year reign happened much faster than some experts expected.
—Mike Brest, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Dec. 2024
The two blockbuster trades ushered in a new era of five-out basketball at Madison Square Garden, where spacing and three-point shooting reign supreme.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
If convenience reigns supreme around the holidays, opt for a boneless ham like the Omaha Steaks Duroc Boneless Country Ham from our list.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Finally, reigning it all in were massive, hydraulically assisted multi-piston Baer disc brakes at all four corners that always had more than enough bite.
—Peter Nelson, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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 22 Dec. 2024.
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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