- present tense form of govern (3rd person singular).
governs
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“What they have done is lower the standard for everything,” said Ali Khawar, a former senior official at the Department of Labor, which is charged with enforcing the federal law that governs retirement savings.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Consumer Watchdog contended in its lawsuit that the surcharges violated Proposition 103 — the 1988 measure that governs insurer rate hikes — because the proposition does not allow for them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 governs private-sector pension funds and requires fiduciaries to act solely in the interest of plan participants.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
The vote-counting process that governs California elections is transparent to anyone who wants to understand it.
From Slate ● Jun. 9, 2026
Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola, in the Caribbean, while the more prosperous Dominican Republic, once ruled by Spain, governs the eastern two-thirds.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
