reign

[ reyn ]

noun

1. the period during which a sovereign occupies the throne.
2. royal rule or authority; sovereignty.

   Synonyms: suzerainty, dominion

3. dominating power or influence:

   the reign of law.

verb (used without object)

1. to possess or exercise sovereign power or authority.

   Synonyms: prevail, govern, rule

   Antonyms: obey

2. to hold the position and name of sovereign without exercising the ruling power.
3. to have control, rule, or influence of any kind.
4. to predominate; be prevalent.

reign

/ reɪn /

noun

1. the period during which a monarch is the official ruler of a country
2. a period during which a person or thing is dominant, influential, or powerful

   the reign of violence is over

verb

1. to exercise the power and authority of a sovereign
2. to be accorded the rank and title of a sovereign without having ruling authority, as in a constitutional monarchy
3. to predominate; prevail

   a land where darkness reigns

4. usually present participle to be the most recent winner of a competition, contest, etc

   the reigning heavyweight champion

Usage

Reign is sometimes wrongly written for rein in certain phrases: he gave full rein (not reign ) to his feelings; it will be necessary to rein in (not reign in ) public spending

Other Words From

• inter·reign verb (used without object)
• non·reigning adjective
• outreign verb (used with object)
• un·reigning adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reign¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English noun reine, regne, from Old French reigne, from Latin regnum “realm, reign,” derivative of reg- (stem of rēx ) “king”; Middle English verb reinen, regnen, from Old French reignier, from Latin regnāre, derivative of regnum

Word History and Origins

Origin of reign¹

C13: from Old French reigne , from Latin rēgnum kingdom, from rēx king

Example Sentences

Jones, whose reign was ended by a defeat to Springboks two years ago, might be tempted to tune in once more.

From BBC

When he takes office in January, we should therefore expect him to launch a reign of terror against dozens of people he sees as having crossed him.

From Los Angeles Times

And so, after seven years, eight months and one day, Robins' second reign at the club is over.

From BBC

Only once during Guardiola’s reign have City lost three times in a row in a single season.

From BBC

Tech scion David Ellison’s Skydance Media will gain control of Paramount, marking the end of the Redstone family’s reign over the storied studio.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dynasty
• regime
• tenure