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
Martha Yesowitch, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2024
Six decades into their reign as America's Band, the iconic group reflect on riding the waves of rock 'n' roll chaos and crafting their timeless pop masterpieces.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024
Clarence E. Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2024
Recognizing the stakes, the legal system and the media embraced the rule of law, and rejected the corruption that had reigned for decades.
—Ray Brescia / Made By History, TIME, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for reign 
Noun
The unauthorized, behind-the-scenes story of the stunning rise and suddenly uncertain reign of the most transformative cultural phenomenon of our time: the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
—Martha Yesowitch, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2024
Six decades into their reign as America's Band, the iconic group reflect on riding the waves of rock 'n' roll chaos and crafting their timeless pop masterpieces.
—Jordan Runtagh, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024
Verb
And the Texas Rangers, of course, are the reigning World Series champions for the first time in franchise history.
—Clarence E. Hill Jr., Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 May 2024
Recognizing the stakes, the legal system and the media embraced the rule of law, and rejected the corruption that had reigned for decades.
—Ray Brescia / Made By History, TIME, 20 May 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.
Dictionary Entries Near reign
Cite this Entry
“Reign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reign. Accessed 9 Jun. 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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