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
Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Feast On Local Delights In Fort-de-France, welcoming local food shacks and easy-going eateries reign, offering simple but delicious and affordable eats that show-off the region’s best recipes.
—Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Strickland 1 Recap When Du Plessis and Strickland first met in January 2024, Strickland was the reigning UFC middleweight champion, while Du Plessis was the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC rankings.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for reign 
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Noun
What a contrast between the reigns of Victoria and Elizabeth!
—Geoffrey Wheatcroft, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Feast On Local Delights In Fort-de-France, welcoming local food shacks and easy-going eateries reign, offering simple but delicious and affordable eats that show-off the region’s best recipes.
—Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
In the round of 16, the reigning champions lacked the decisive edge that typified those victorious runs in 2015 and 2019, losing on penalty kicks to longtime rival Sweden following a goalless draw.
—Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Strickland 1 Recap When Du Plessis and Strickland first met in January 2024, Strickland was the reigning UFC middleweight champion, while Du Plessis was the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC rankings.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 22 Jan. 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 31 Jan. 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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