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
Grace Smith, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
The reigning Big East player of the year connected on an impressive 15 of 23 attempts in the 3-point star drill at the NBA Draft Combine and made 56.7% shooting off the dribble.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 29 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
Chic maxi dresses reigned supreme last summer, and Meghan Markle recently elevated that trend in a silky high-neck maxi dress — stylish enough for a formal engagement but breezy enough for an afternoon in the sun.
—Grace Smith, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024
The reigning Big East player of the year connected on an impressive 15 of 23 attempts in the 3-point star drill at the NBA Draft Combine and made 56.7% shooting off the dribble.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 29 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 10 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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