deregulation

American  

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

noun

1. 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.

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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.

Example Sentences

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

He’s not unalterably opposed to deregulation, per se.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

A dollop of tax reform, a big dose of deregulation and an AI investment boom are allowing the economy to cope with the tariff distortions and uncertainty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

I urge Congress to act on communications legislation and to consider other proposed deregulation measures, such as legislation on the bus industry.

From State of the Union Address by Carter, Jimmy

Related Words

• free trade