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

At the very least, Ellison’s Hollywood experience has grown; while he was sometimes sidelined as a financier under earlier Paramount regimes, his role morphed into something more consistently substantively creative under recent studio chiefs Jim Gianopulos and Brian Robbins. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Aug. 2025

The Arab Spring, which began in late 2010, radically altered the internal dynamics of many Middle Eastern regimes. —Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025

The new trade regime will put in place the highest tariffs America has imposed since 1933, during the Smoot-Hawley era — a tariff bill that contributed to the deepening of the Great Depression. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025

The new Trumpian trade regime, featuring tribute transfers to the hegemon as well as high tariff walls, resembles the extractive economic policies of the Ming dynasty more than the open trade order to which American Presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama pledged fealty. —John Cassidy, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 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.