deregulation

American

[dee-reg-yuh-ley-shuhn] / diˌrɛg yəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

the act or process of removing legislative controls or restrictions from an industry, commodity, etc..

I predicted then that such a massive deregulation of the banking industry would seriously harm the economy.

Etymology

Origin of deregulation

de- ( def. ) + regulation ( def. )

Explanation

A regulation is basically a rule or directive made by an authority. Deregulation is the removal, or cancellation, of certain rules or directives. (The prefix "de-" here means "remove.") Governments set lots of regulations to create order and uniformity in a particular industry, like banking or manufacturing. When bankers and manufacturers don't like these regulations, they ask the government for fewer controls and restrictions, or deregulation. If your parents are constantly meddling in your life and you would like them to give you a little more freedom, you might consider asking them for deregulation. Your vocabulary might just impress them enough to grant it.

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Vocabulary lists containing deregulation

Vocabulary from President Trump's First Address to Congress

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Economics

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U.S. Government - Middle School and High School

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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.

This isn’t due to a belief in the moral superiority of deregulation, but rather because unrestricted exchange reveals misconduct more reliably than audits or oversight ever could.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

The procedure once occurred every three years, but deregulation efforts have extended that period to the current span of eight years.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

But the deregulation they won did little to stanch the bleeding.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

CEO Jamie Dimon said the results were fueled by continued economic growth and consumer spending, with increased government stimulus and deregulation, along with capital investments in artificial intelligence, providing the tailwind.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

It includes: excise taxes and import fees totaling $2 per barrel on product imports and on all crude oil; deregulation of new natural gas and enactment of a natural gas excise tax.

From State of the Union Address by Ford, Gerald R.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023