regularize

verb

reg·​u·​lar·​ize ˈre-gyə-lə-ˌrīz How to pronounce regularize (audio)
 also  ˈrā-
regularized; regularizing

transitive verb

: to make regular by conformance to law, rules, or custom
regularization noun

Examples of regularize in a Sentence

Under the program, illegal immigrants would be able to apply to regularize their status. the garment industry agreed to regularize women's clothing sizes so one company's size six wasn't another company's size ten
Recent Examples on the Web The bill does retain measures for regularizing undocumented workers in industries facing shortages, which has prompted anger from politicians on the right. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2024 Then there are police departments not compliant with Biden administration law-enforcement dicta, Republican-run states seeking to regularize their voting laws after last year’s pandemic-palooza of an electoral process, and state legislatures that pass strict pro-life legislation. Gerard Baker, WSJ, 11 Oct. 2021 In Bangladesh, their status is as precarious, with local authorities unwilling to regularize the refugees in the camps. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023 Jasper’s writings, produced in instants, restrict and regularize forms of verbal expression based on the most dominant qualities of the most common sorts of text. WIRED, 22 Mar. 2023 In a message on his Telegram channel, Sergei Aksyonov, head of Crimea region, showed a photo of an undisturbed section of the bridge and said that officials were working to regularize transport between Crimea and Russia’s Krasnodar region. Natalia Abbakumova, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2022 Josh Blackman, a law professor at the South Texas College of Law, also floated a few ideas for reform that year, including an intervention by Congress to set minimum standards and regularize the process. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 6 Oct. 2022 In 1974, Congress passed a law to regularize the budget-making process that allowed lawmakers to pass certain types of spending and taxation legislation with a simple majority. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 9 Aug. 2022 The documents usually give migrants a month or more to regularize their status in Mexico or leave the country. Washington Post, 24 June 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'regularize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of regularize was in 1780

Dictionary Entries Near regularize

Cite this Entry

“Regularize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regularize. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

regularize

verb
reg·​u·​lar·​ize ˈreg-yə-lə-ˌrīz How to pronounce regularize (audio)
regularized; regularizing
: to make regular
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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