Confusables Entry 552 / 1011 60-second read

Reign vs. Rein

A monarch’s rule versus a horse strap.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

Give your imagination free reign.

✓ Correct

Give your imagination free rein.

The ruleii

FREE REIN (not reign).

The idiom is "free REIN," from riding — to let the reins go slack. "Free REIGN" is a common mistake.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Horse reins → "free rein."

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