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
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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
-
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
-
regulatessimple
-
have regulatedperfect
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has regulatedperfect
-
am regulatingprogressive
-
are regulatingprogressive
-
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
Several states are locked in legal battles with the federal government over whether they can regulate the markets under state anti-gambling laws.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
This system helps maintain and regulate brain health, and its role becomes increasingly important with age.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 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
The jeering, hate-filled sound reminded Will of the merciless cruelty of children in a playground, but there were no teachers here to regulate things, no one to appeal to, nowhere to hide.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
"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
Hie part of my brain that regulates time definitely hasn’t adjusted to being back yet, but neither has the rest of me.
From "Amina's Song" by Hena Khan
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
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
They achieve this by arranging different components within tightly controlled spaces, where molecules can move, interact, and react under carefully regulated conditions.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 6, 2026
They rarely come from the specialized and heavily regulated global biopharma industry, the former executive said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
On the other hand, his actions are not regulated by law or by any clearly formulated code of behavior.
From "1984" by George Orwell
I saw something on TikTok where someone said our need for a walk-around beverage is emotionally regulating, so I think that’s a key part of this whole experience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
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
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
I see Michael in the control booth, regulating volume and lighting in the auditorium.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
