government 1 of 2

noun

ˈgə-vər(n)-mənt How to pronounce government (audio)
Definition of governmentnext
1
as in administration
lawful control over the affairs of a political unit (as a nation) government by the people, for the people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something a board involved in the government of the distribution of benefits to veterans

Synonyms & Similar Words

government

2 of 2

adjective

as in governmental

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of government
Noun
Fewer people pay directly for medical care, and government heavily subsidizes demand without increasing supply, a sure route to higher prices. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026 The property sits on a long-term lease held by the federal government, last renewed for 20 years in 2021. — Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Vucic in recent weeks has toured the country tirelessly in a live coverage on pro-government media. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 Until the Day Ends stars Lena Trifunović as Lena, an anarchist student, and Andrija Krivokapić as Stefan, a working-class youth with friends who are pro-government loyalists. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for government
Recent Examples of Synonyms for government
  1. administration
  2. management
  3. governmental
  4. governance
  5. supervision
  6. federal
  7. rule
  8. operation
Noun
  • Such well-being is appealed to only as a smokescreen for the argument's true purpose, the justification of the administration's policies toward immigrants.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The administration had been in damage control mode ever since her first briefing.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of administration
Noun
  • White said Salvation Brands is not to be confused with the big brand management firms such as Authentic Brands Group and WHP Global, which are getting all the attention these days.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities in both countries were investigating the cyber incidents, which exposed vulnerabilities in some older refrigeration management systems and in the countries' highly efficient food supply chains.
    — JOHN LEICESTER, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of management
Adjective
  • House Bill 5492 would regulate the use of ALPRs by private and governmental entities and regulate the use of plate data.
    — DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The display did not impress everyone as evidence of governmental strength.
    — Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of governmental
Noun
  • By approaching elections as an important governance function and not merely an annual formality, boards and unit owners can help establish a culture of transparency, accountability, integrity, and responsible stewardship.
    — Gary M. Mars, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The goal in the long term would be to establish a multilateral system of regional governance—anchored by China but accepted by its neighbors.
    — Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of governance
Noun
  • The magistrate judge ordered the four released on personal recognizance and said they were not required to be under supervision.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That pressure, coupled with my lack of supervision and distraction with my own reporting, had led to my spectacular failure with Janet Cooke.
    — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervision
Adjective
  • The donation is intended to benefit children age 10 and under who aren’t eligible for the federal government’s separate $1,000 contribution for children born between 2025 and 2028.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, the department would need to seek an order from a federal judge in the District Court for the District of Columbia.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of federal
Noun
  • In 2024, the CFPB proposed a rule that would require the disclosure of tips and fees as finance charges as an APR, or the total yearly cost of borrowing money.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • But that same year, protests erupted that ended 15 years of rule by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of rule
Noun
  • The different program sales operations of Skydance hit the Côte d’Azur under their pre-existing Paramount and WB brands.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Boston Dynamics‘ prototype operation brings engineers and machinists together to develop, manufacture, assemble, and maintain robotic hardware.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of operation

Browse Nearby Words

governing
government
governmental
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Government.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/government. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on government

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about government

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All