regime
Americannoun
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a mode or system of rule or government.
a dictatorial regime.
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a ruling or prevailing system.
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a government in power.
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the period during which a particular government or ruling system is in power.
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Medicine/Medical. regimen.
noun
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a system of government or a particular administration
a fascist regime
the regime of Fidel Castro
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a social system or order
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med another word for regimen
Etymology
Origin of regime
First recorded in 1770–80; from French régime, from Latin regimen regimen
Explanation
A regime is the ruling government of a country. The amount of freedom and restriction that citizens of a country have can change from regime to regime. Regime takes its militaristic and government feel from the Latin word regimen "to rule." A political regime has a negative association to it that makes you think of totalitarian governments. How did it come to mean "diet" or "program of exercise" as well? If you are put on a regime of exercise and healthy eating, you are ordered by a doctor to do these things and it probably feels like you're being ruled sometimes!
Vocabulary lists containing regime
"Bonne Annee," Vocabulary from the personal essay
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Persepolis
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President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
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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.
Appeared in the May 7, 2026, print edition as 'The Deal With the Iranian Regime'.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
Regime insiders suspected him of being a wolf in sheep's clothing, waiting in the wings for the right moment.
From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026
No balanced understanding of Franco can be had without reading his works, especially “The Franco Regime: 1936-1975,” published in 1987, and its final chapter in particular, “The Franco Regime in Perspective.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025
Appeared in the November 20, 2025, print edition as 'The Fruits of Regime Change'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025
Volume Five: Napoleon I. Volume Six: Modern Regime DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS Click here if you would like to download this Index, and save it and all the volumes in the entire set to your hard disk.
From The Origins of Contemporary France, Complete Table of Contents by Durand, John
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.
