deregulate

American  

[dee-reg-yuh-leyt] / diˈrɛg jəˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

• deregulates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• deregulated,
  past participle,  past
• deregulating
  present participle

1. to remove government regulatory controls from (an industry, a commodity, etc.).

   to deregulate the trucking industry; to deregulate oil prices.

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verb (used without object)

• deregulates,
  present (3rd person singular)
• deregulated,
  past participle,  past
• deregulating
  present participle

1. to undergo deregulation.

   Some banks have already started to deregulate.

deregulate British  

/ diːˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to remove regulations or controls from

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• deregulation
  noun
• deregulator
  noun
• deregulatory
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• deregulating
  present
• deregulated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• deregulate
  simple
• deregulates
  simple
• have deregulated
  perfect
• has deregulated
  perfect
• am deregulating
  progressive
• are deregulating
  progressive
• is deregulating
  progressive
• have been deregulating
  perfect progressive
• has been deregulating
  perfect progressive

Past

• deregulated
  simple
• had deregulated
  perfect
• was deregulating
  progressive
• were deregulating
  progressive
• had been deregulating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will deregulate
  simple
• will have deregulated
  perfect
• will be deregulating
  progressive
• will have been deregulating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of deregulate

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65; de- + regulate

Explanation

Deregulate is a verb that means to take away the rules. When someone deregulates a soccer game, the game could become a muddy wrestling match without any rules to keep things on track. You’ll notice the word regulate at the end of deregulate. Regulate is also a verb, and it means to “control something by rules.” To deregulate something, you take away the rules. If you deregulate a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey at your little sister’s birthday party, you could end up with a tail on your face.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deregulate deregulates deregulated deregulating

Those who argue that Greenspan helped deregulate the financial system have yet to explain when this deregulation occurred.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

In the 1990s and early 2000s, about half of U.S. states chose to deregulate their electricity markets, taking electricity generation out of the hands of monopoly utilities.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025

The White House said Trump is committed to making “American leadership in space great again,” noting his first-term push to return U.S. astronauts to the moon and his efforts to deregulate the U.S. space industry.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2025

In the 1980s, it became the first country to deregulate its gambling industry, making it possible for slot machines - once only permitted inside casinos - to expand into licensed pubs and clubs.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2024

To meet increased competition from both EU and   Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize   knowledge-based sectors of the economy and continue to deregulate   the service sector.

From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

It also deregulates old programs, converts defense shipbuilding to commercial, competitive construction and negotiates to lower foreign subsidies.

From Time Magazine Archive

In deregulated markets, the company owns and operates the batteries, acting as a retail power provider while offering lower-than-average electricity rates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

In the US, the FDA is considering easing restrictions on the use of peptide injections after Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr pushed to have the therapies deregulated.

From BBC ● May 20, 2026

Airfares are going up now because of fuel prices, but airfares continue their downward real trend, in constant dollars, that started back in 1980 when the airlines were deregulated.

From Slate ● May 5, 2026

The Telecommunications Act, which deregulated the industry with the aim of fostering competition and growth, “created the foundation for open markets, competition, safe and significant growth,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2025

Suddenly deregulated, ecosystems shook and sloshed like a cup of tea in an earthquake.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

“He got in the driver’s seat when the deregulation trend was incipient. He was a champion of deregulating the financial industry.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026

Europe has been focused on deregulating its banking system and spending in the industrial space, which has been influenced by defense, he said.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 15, 2026

“The heart of it is making sure that we have sites ready so they”—companies that have been drawn to the state—“can build fast, deregulating so that they can move as fast as they possibly can.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

At the same time, he made great strides in deregulating the economy and liberalizing trade.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025

In fact, the biggest government initiative proposed in the document is deregulating food safety standards, which would make it easier for shady operations to sell goods at farmers markets.

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2025