regulatory
Americanadjective
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of or relating to the control or direction of an activity by a set of rules, laws, etc..
The Coast Guard is to be commended for this current regulatory effort, as their proposed restriction addresses many concerns of the seafaring community.
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of or relating to the adjustment of a device, system, or organic function so as to meet a standard or the requirements of good operation.
Earth's climate is a highly complex system with its own regulatory mechanisms.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of regulatory
Explanation
Regulatory describes something that holds you to the rules. Detention is regulatory, as are other kinds of punishments. When your mom tells you not to run in the house, she’s being regulatory. You’ll notice most of the word regulate is in regulatory. That’s because when something is regulatory, it’s regulated. You also might be reminded of the word regular. Things that are regulatory, like being forced to stay in for recess, are intended to keep things regular — no breaking rules, no breaking laws, no breaking at all. Things that are regulatory are meant to keep you from falling out of line.
Vocabulary lists containing regulatory
Top Ten Most Relevant Words from Republican Presidential Candidates' Debate - Nov. 10, 2015
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The Executive Branch at Work, Sections 1–3
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Vocabulary from the Ninth Republican Debate, February 13, 2016
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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.
Fast-fashion giant Shein slid in its long-awaited trading debut, as regulatory headwinds and slowing sales challenge a company once valued at US$100 billion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
But the company now faces slowing growth and increasing regulatory pressure in Europe and the United States, its largest markets.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Shares in rivals Asos and Boohoo have been battered in recent years as they face regulatory scrutiny and fierce competition.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Twenty-five days later, on July 7, banks published a flurry of price targets as they initiated coverage of SpaceX as a regulatory quiet period on such research expired.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
Proteins act as regulatory sensors, or master switches, in this process—turning on and turning off genes, or even combinations of genes, in a coordinate manner.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
