regulate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
regulates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
regulated,
past participle, past
-
regulating
present participle
-
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.
-
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
-
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.
-
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
-
Biology. to adjust or adapt (a bodily process or function) in response to external stimuli.
-
Genetics. to control the expression of (a gene or genes).
verb
-
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
-
to bring into conformity with a rule, principle, or usage
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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overregulateverb
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misregulateverb (used with object)
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preregulateverb (used with object)
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reregulateverb (used with object)
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nonregulatedadjective
-
nonregulativeadjective
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quasi-regulatedadjective
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regulativeadjective
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regulatoryadjective
-
unregulatedadjective
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unregulativeadjective
-
well-regulatedadjective
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regulativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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regulatesimple
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regulatessimple
-
have regulatedperfect
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has regulatedperfect
-
am regulatingprogressive
-
are regulatingprogressive
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is regulatingprogressive
-
have been regulatingperfect progressive
-
has been regulatingperfect progressive
Past
-
regulatedsimple
-
had regulatedperfect
-
was regulatingprogressive
-
were regulatingprogressive
-
had been regulatingperfect progressive
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.
See Examples For:
He moved to regulate e-bikes, and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s department began to issue criminal court summonses for reckless violations of traffic laws by their riders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"You don't want to regulate the outdoors too much but this is what can happen when people don't do their research or go into the unknown," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Endogenous opioids are naturally produced chemicals that act on some of the same biological systems targeted by opioid pain medications, helping the body regulate pain without an external drug.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has sought to regulate the industry, with spokesman Hamayoun Afghan saying resources "used to be extracted erratically; it wasn't done under supervision" by the previous government.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
With that development they could regulate their temperatures.
From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
"The important thing is we've got a system which regulates universities on outcomes," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
It isn’t yet entirely clear who regulates prediction markets and how, and markets have regularly clashed with state officials trying to rein them in.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
The FDA approved the first medication to treat narcolepsy by targeting a brain chemical that regulates wakefulness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Their analysis revealed problems with fat processing and with mTOR, a pathway that regulates growth.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
He ran a test on one of their neurotransmitters that regulates dopamine, which in turn is associated with attention.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Rejecting an appeal by the family, Migration Court of Appeal documents state "when weighing up the state's interest in regulated immigration" and Mason's "private life", it determined expulsion was "proportionate".
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
Prediction markets are facing scrutiny from state and federal regulators, including continuing litigation in more than a dozen states over whether they should be regulated as gambling entities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Although overeating might seem like a problem that begins in the stomach, appetite is largely regulated by the brain.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
China's motorbike sales fell 3.4 percent in 2025, and slid again this year as consumers increasingly favour cars or less regulated electric bikes.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
The barrage regulated the inflow of salt water from the backwaters that opened into the Arabian Sea.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
In the same way that the reason why you’re seeing larger numbers of elected officials talk about regulating data centers is because they are reading the public temperature.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Oceans absorb most of the excess heat caused by humanity's carbon emissions and therefore play a key role in regulating the climate.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
But since that law was signed, the shuttering of two major refineries in the state has left lawmakers and agencies skittish about regulating the facilities before electric vehicles have displaced the demand for gas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Novo’s success was fueled by one thing: semaglutide, a medication that mimics the naturally occurring hormone in the gut that signals to the brain it’s not hungry, while regulating digestion and blood sugar.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
The shower alone has a panel with more than a hundred options you can choose regulating water temperature, pressure, soaps, shampoos, scents, oils, and massaging sponges.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
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.
