unregulated
Britishadjective
Explanation
Whether it’s an economy, the fishing industry, or your cash flow, something that’s unregulated knows no bounds — there are no rules or restrictions in place. When you break the word unregulated down, it’s easy to figure out what it means. The prefix un- reverses an action, so here it means “not.” Then you have regulated, which describes something that has rules or people who check that things are working properly. So if something is unregulated, there are no rules or people making sure everything is right, like an unregulated restaurant that the board of health doesn't know about.
Vocabulary lists containing unregulated
100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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Mexikid
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Articles on Overfishing
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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.
The number of people taking weight-loss drugs who are not living with obesity or Type 2 diabetes is difficult to track since it is unregulated.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
It consists of a regulated utility that serves 6 million customers in Florida, and an unregulated unit that is focused on renewable energy, including solar and wind power.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
A 2026 AGA analysis showed that unregulated gaming devices, offshore sportsbooks and illegal online casinos generate approximately $53.9 billion in revenue each year, depriving states of more than $15 billion in lost tax revenue.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
"No-one should purchase prescription-only medicines other than from reputable suppliers such as registered pharmacies. Medicines obtained from unregulated sources pose a major risk to people's safety."
From BBC • May 2, 2026
It is therefore able to multiply in a wild and unregulated manner.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
