Sovereign vs. Reign — What's the Difference?

A supreme ruler, especially a king or queen.

The time during which something is predominant or pervasive.

Having independent authority and the right to govern oneself.

To rule as a king or queen.

Greatest in degree; utmost or extreme.

To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority.

Possessing ultimate or supreme power.

A period during which one entity or group is dominant or influential.

A gold coin formerly used in the United Kingdom, valued at one pound sterling.

A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Andorra), of a people (e.g., the Franks, the Zulus) or of a spiritual community (e.g., Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism, Nizari Ismailism). In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies (e.g., Holy Roman Empire) there have been no limits on the duration of a sovereign's reign or incumbency, nor is there a term of office.

Sovereign is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French souverain, which is ultimately derived from the Latin word superānus, meaning "above".

Hold royal office; rule as monarch

A supreme ruler, especially a monarch

The period of rule of a monarch

A former British gold coin worth one pound sterling, now only minted for commemorative purposes.

Exercise of sovereign power, as by a monarch.

Possessing supreme or ultimate power

The period during which a monarch rules.

Very good or effective

Dominance or widespread influence

A king, queen, or other noble person who serves as chief of state; a ruler or monarch.

To exercise sovereign power

A national governing council or committee.

To hold the title of monarch, but with limited authority.

A nation that governs territory outside its borders.

To be predominant or prevalent

A gold coin formerly used in Great Britain.

The exercise of sovereign power.

Self-governing; independent

The period during which a monarch rules.

Having supreme rank or power

The territory or sphere over which a kingdom; empire; realm; dominion, etc. is ruled.

Paramount; supreme

(intransitive) To exercise sovereign power, to rule as a monarch.

Of superlative strength or efficacy

To reign over (a country)

Unmitigated

To be the winner of the most recent iteration of a competition.

Exercising power of rule.

To be a dominant quality of a place or situation; to prevail, predominate, rule.

Exceptional in quality.

Royal authority; supreme power; sovereignty; rule; dominion.

Extremely potent or effective (of a medicine, remedy etc.).

The territory or sphere which is reigned over; kingdom; empire; realm; dominion.

Having supreme, ultimate power.

The time during which a king, queen, or emperor possesses the supreme authority; as, it happened in the reign of Elizabeth.

Princely; royal.

To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority; to exercise government, as a king or emperor;; to hold supreme power; to rule.

Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount.

Hence, to be predominant; to prevail.

A monarch; the ruler of a country.

To have superior or uncontrolled dominion; to rule.

One who is not a subject to a ruler or nation.

A period during which something or somebody is dominant or powerful;

A gold coin of the United Kingdom, with a nominal value of one pound sterling but in practice used as a bullion coin.

The period during which a monarch is sovereign;

A former Australian gold coin, minted from 1855–1931, of one pound value.

Royal authority; the dominion of a monarch

A very large champagne bottle with the capacity of about 25 liters, equivalent to 3 standard bottles.

Have sovereign power;

Any butterfly of the tribe Nymphalini, or genus Basilarchia, as the ursula and the viceroy.

A large, garish ring; a sovereign ring.

(transitive) To rule over as a sovereign.

Supreme or highest in power; superior to all others; chief; as, our sovereign prince.

Independent of, and unlimited by, any other; possessing, or entitled to, original authority or jurisdiction; as, a sovereign state; a sovereign discretion.

Princely; royal.

Predominant; greatest; utmost; paramount.

Efficacious in the highest degree; effectual; controlling; as, a sovereign remedy.

The person, body, or state in which independent and supreme authority is vested; especially, in a monarchy, a king, queen, or emperor.

A gold coin of Great Britain, on which an effigy of the head of the reigning king or queen is stamped, valued at one pound sterling, or about $4.86.

Any butterfly of the tribe Nymphalidi, or genus Basilarchia, as the ursula and the viceroy.

A nation's ruler or head of state usually by hereditary right

Of political bodies;

Greatest in status or authority or power;

Yes, "sovereign" is often used in legal and financial contexts, referring to the authority of nations, particularly in terms of sovereign debt or sovereign rights.

A state described as "sovereign" has full independence and authority over its internal and external affairs, without external control.

Yes, "reign" can metaphorically refer to any period of dominance or influence in various fields, like a "reign" of a sports team dominating a league.

"Sovereign" comes from the Old French souverain, derived from the Latin superanus, meaning above.

Yes, terms like "reign of terror" depict periods where a reign is marked by oppressive or tyrannical rule.

A reign typically starts when a sovereign formally ascends to power and ends upon their abdication, death, or removal.

As a noun, "reign" refers to the period of rule, while as a verb, it means to hold royal office or exert control.

Legally, "sovereign" can refer to immunity from lawsuits or the right to govern without external interference.

Yes, in cultural contexts, "sovereign" can symbolize ultimate power or respect, often used in literature and art.

Yes, "reign" can metaphorically refer to control over abstract concepts, like "reigning over one's fears."

Yes, "reign" is particularly used in historical contexts to describe the duration of rule of specific monarchs or dynasties in detailed records.

"Sovereign" embodies the ultimate freedom and autonomy of an entity, be it a state or an individual, indicating no higher authority.

In international law, "sovereign" is crucial for determining a state's rights, responsibilities, and jurisdiction in global relations.

People might use "reign" to describe any dominant period, such as in business or sports, e.g., "reign of a champion."

"Sovereign risk" refers to the risk of a country defaulting on its financial obligations, impacting international lending and borrowing.