- 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.
One of the biggest obstacles to a black hole splitting comes from thermodynamics, the branch of physics that governs how energy behaves and how physical systems change.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 3, 2026
Where U.S. law does not apply, Texas state law governs, the agreement states.
From Salon ● Oct. 23, 2026
These issues are at the heart of proposals to reform the Moudawana, Morocco's family code, which governs marriage, divorce and child custody.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
If Mamdani has so far shown a pragmatic streak in how he governs that can feel at odds with the loftier promises of his campaign, some friction with his most hard-line voters might be inevitable.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2026
For example: Here’s an explanation of the rhetorical term syllepsis: “the use of a word that relates to, qualifies, or governs two or more other words but has a different meaning in relation to each.”
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
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