regime

noun

re·​gime rā-ˈzhēm 

ri-,

 also  ri-ˈjēm

variants or less commonly régime

1

a

: regimen sense 1

b

: a regular pattern of occurrence or action (as of seasonal rainfall)

c

: the characteristic behavior or orderly procedure of a natural phenomenon or process

2

a

: mode of rule or management

b

: a form of government

a socialist regime

c

: a government in power

d

: a period of rule

Synonyms

• government
• administration
• rule
• reign
• governance
• regimen
• dictatorship
• tyranny

Examples of regime in a Sentence

The new regime is sure to fall.

Under the new regime, all workers must file a weekly report.

He was put on a strict exercise regime.

Recent Examples on the Web

For two decades, the regimes of Hugo Chávez and Maduro have tied the state to illicit economies —granting officers, loyalists, and gangs access to oil, smuggling routes and drug profits. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025

Across biotech, cloud, and chips, American corporate leaders are trading the future for fleeting profits—enabled by a governance regime that demands little more. —Andrew King, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025

Sanctions expert Brett Erickson told Newsweek that unless the West imposed a tough coordinated sanctions regime, Moscow's encroachments into NATO airspace would increase. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025

Political analyst Chandradev Bhatta says Nepal has a long history of regime-change through street protests. —Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French régime, from Old French regimen, regime, from Late Latin regimin-, regimen

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing regime

• puppet regime

Rhymes for regime

• abeam
• airstream
• bloodstream
• daydream
• downstream
• esteem
• extreme
• grapheme
• hakim
• hornbeam
• lexeme
• mainstream

Kids Definition

regime

noun

re·​gime

variants also régime

rā-ˈzhēm 

ri-

1

a

: regimen sense 1

b

: a regular pattern of doing something

2

a

: a method of rule or management

b

: a form of government or administration

especially : a governmental or social system

c

: a period of rule of a regime

Medical Definition

regime

noun

re·​gime

rā-ˈzhēm, ri- also ri-ˈjēm

: regimen

Legal Definition

regime

noun

re·​gime

rā-ˈzhēm, ri-

: a system of principles, rules, or regulations for administration (as of property)

the mandatory consecutive sentencing regime

—People v. Garcia, 642 N.E.2d 1077 (1994)

community property regime

—used especially in the civil law of Louisiana

Note: Under the Louisiana Civil Code there are various regimes for various types of property, such as community or separate property. These regimes, while usually established by the law, may also be modified or created by agreement of the parties.