regulate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to control or direct by a rule, principle, method, etc..
The statute is intended to regulate the business practices of architects by establishing a code of professional conduct.
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to adjust to some standard or requirement, as amount, degree, etc..
A film was applied to the windows to help regulate the temperature and reduce glare.
- Synonyms:
- set
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to adjust so as to ensure accuracy of operation.
If the watch is consistently off, it can be fixed relatively simply by regulating the beat rate.
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to put or keep something in good order or within reasonable limits.
Playful interactions with adult caregivers help children develop the ability to regulate their emotions and behavior.
- Synonyms:
- balance
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Biology. to adjust or adapt (a bodily process or function) in response to external stimuli.
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Genetics. to control the expression of (a gene or genes).
verb
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to adjust (the amount of heat, sound, etc, of something) as required; control
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to adjust (an instrument or appliance) so that it operates correctly
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to bring into conformity with a rule, principle, or usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonregulatedadjective
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regulativeadjective
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preregulateverb (used with object)
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regulativelyadverb
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nonregulativeadjective
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unregulativeadjective
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regulatoryadjective
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misregulateverb (used with object)
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quasi-regulatedadjective
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unregulatedadjective
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overregulateverb
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reregulateverb (used with object)
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well-regulatedadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have regulatedperfect
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has regulatedperfect 3rd person singular
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are regulatingprogressive
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has been regulatingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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regulatessingular 3rd person
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have been regulatingperfect progressive
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is regulatingprogressive 3rd person singular
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regulatingparticiple
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am regulatingprogressive 1st person singular
Past
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had regulatedperfect
-
had been regulatingperfect progressive
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were regulatingprogressive plural
-
was regulatingprogressive singular
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regulatedparticiple
-
regulatedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of regulate
First recorded in 1620–30, from Late Latin rēgulātus (past participle of rēgulāre “to direct”); see regula, -ate 1
Explanation
The on-off spigot regulates the flow of water into your bathtub. When a government regulates an industry, they set standards the industry must follow. To regulate means to impose control. Regulate shares a root with the word, regular. When the transit authority regulates a train schedule, it makes sure trains arrive on a more regular schedule. The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated –– before a drug can be marketed, it must be tested. On a more personal level, if you want to regulate your digestive system, try eating more fiber... or prunes!
Vocabulary lists containing regulate
Florida EOC Civics
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The Articles of Confederation (1777)
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This Week In Words: September 5–11, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Its price topped a much-awaited threshold of $100,000 in December 2024, then rose to $120,000 in July 2025 as US politicians prepared to debate bills to regulate digital assets.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Music is perhaps the purest of these art forms, tapping into our lizard brains to regulate our emotions that are seeking to make sense of this precious yet maddening existence.
From Salon • Jun. 5, 2026
LIN-42 then helps regulate the intensity and duration of the genetic pulse.
From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026
Mr. Pulte, a housing scion, at least had some qualifications to regulate the government housing giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
It was hard to keep secrets; you had to keep track of them, regulate how they moved through your body, make sure they didn’t swerve and jump out of your mouth.
From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
