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
-
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
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well-regulatedadjective
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regulativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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regulatesimple
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regulatessimple
-
have regulatedperfect
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has regulatedperfect
-
am regulatingprogressive
-
are regulatingprogressive
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is regulatingprogressive
-
have been regulatingperfect progressive
-
has been regulatingperfect progressive
Past
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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:
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
"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
Endogenous opioids are naturally produced chemicals that act on some of the same biological systems targeted by opioid pain medications, helping the body regulate pain without an external drug.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has sought to regulate the industry, with spokesman Hamayoun Afghan saying resources "used to be extracted erratically; it wasn't done under supervision" by the previous government.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
In medicine, a new generation of pacemaker could regulate a person’s heartbeat for decades, rather than needing to be replaced every two years.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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 UK government regulates phthalates as hazardous chemical substances but they are used in cosmetics, fragrances and food packaging.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 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
In addition, multiple media outlets are reporting a possible investigation into the Tar Heels football program by the College Sports Commission, which regulates revenue sharing and name, image and likeness deals in collegiate sports.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
She walks in a circle until her breath regulates, because she knows what will happen to her muscles if she doesn’t.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
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
“If you listen to earnings calls from most U.S. regulated utilities, they’ll mostly be about AI and data centers. In Europe, we find a very compelling range of long-term drivers,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 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
While under formal control, virtually every aspect of one’s life is regulated and monitored by the system, and any form of resistance or disobedience is subject to swift sanction.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The results suggest that CRH receptor 1 on OPCs plays an important role not only in repairing myelin after injury, but also in regulating how myelin develops in the first place.
From Science Daily ● 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
But since that law was signed, the shuttering of two major refineries in the state has left lawmakers and agencies skittish about regulating the facilities before electric vehicles have displaced the demand for gas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Recognizing the public's disdain for the spoils system, he called for a law regulating civil service jobs within the government.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
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.
