self-regulation

American  

[self-reg-yuh-ley-shuhn, self-] / ˌsɛlfˌrɛg yəˈleɪ ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. control by oneself or itself, as in an economy, business organization, etc., especially such control as exercised independently of governmental supervision, laws, or the like.

---

Etymology

Origin of self-regulation

First recorded in 1685–95

Example Sentences

Despite another two-plus centuries of self-regulation and government regulation, the line between honest men and knaves on Wall Street remains fluid.

From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026

Last month, he published a lengthy essay that pushed for self-regulation and warned about the potential dangers, from AI-powered bioterrorism to job losses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

Bogotá’s unorthodox mayor, Antanas Mockus—who rose to fame after mooning student protesters and deployed mimes to control traffic—viewed the activity as a gambit “to achieve self-regulation in the behavior among citizens.”

From Slate • Dec. 22, 2024

Such self-regulation is a sign of emotional intelligence, according to Cytowic, and a way of responding to stress rather than letting it control your behavior.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 5, 2024

When to self-registration is applied the faculty of self-regulation, within certain limits a new economy of force and knowledge is added.

From The Evolution of Modern Capitalism A Study of Machine Production by Hobson, J. A. (John Atkinson)