regulate
verb
reg·u·late
ˈre-gyə-ˌlāt 
also ˈrā-
regulated; regulating
1
a
: to govern or direct according to rule
b(1)
: to bring under the control of law or constituted authority
(2)
: to make regulations for or concerning
regulate the industries of a country
2
: to bring order, method, or uniformity to
regulate one's habits
3
: to fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
regulate the pressure of a tire
Examples of regulate in a Sentence
The dam regulates the flow of water into the river.
We need better laws to regulate the content of the Internet.
Laws have been made to regulate working conditions.
The government regulates how much lead may be found in our water supply.
The department regulates foreign trade.
Recent Examples on the Web
Colleagues in a healthy workplace regulate what’s acceptable and what grates with thousands of social cues that most don’t consciously register.
—
Anna Jankowska, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
In New York, one of the states that regulates lottery courier services, companies are expected – once they are licensed – to adhere to the state’s Gaming Commission’s regulations.
—Michelle Watson, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
Unlike widening, which decreases the cost of driving and thus causes demand to rebound, congestion pricing regulates the cost of driving in a particular area or lane to tamp down on traffic, Burris explains.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 25 Feb. 2025
The announcement comes despite Mindell telling the Texas Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this month that his agency did not have the power to regulate couriers.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regulate
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Anna Jankowska, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
In New York, one of the states that regulates lottery courier services, companies are expected – once they are licensed – to adhere to the state’s Gaming Commission’s regulations.
—Michelle Watson, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
Unlike widening, which decreases the cost of driving and thus causes demand to rebound, congestion pricing regulates the cost of driving in a particular area or lane to tamp down on traffic, Burris explains.
—Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 25 Feb. 2025
The announcement comes despite Mindell telling the Texas Senate Appropriations Committee earlier this month that his agency did not have the power to regulate couriers.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regulate
Cite this Entry
“Regulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regulate. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
regulate
verb
reg·u·late
ˈreg-yə-ˌlāt
regulated; regulating
1
a
: to govern or direct according to rule
b
: to bring under the control of authority
regulate prices
2
: to bring order or method to
regulate one's habits
3
: to fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
regulate the pressure of a tire
the brain regulates the heartbeat
regulator
noun
-ˌlāt-ər
Etymology
from Latin regulatus, past participle of regulare "to regulate, direct," from regula "a rule, straightedge" — related to rail entry 1, regent, rule
Medical Definition
regulate
transitive verb
reg·u·late
ˈreg-yə-ˌlāt
regulated; regulating
1
: to control or direct according to rule or law
regulate the testing of experimental drugs
2
: to fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
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