regulate

verb

reg·u·late | \ ˈre-gyə-ˌlāt also ˈrā-

regulated; regulating

Definition of regulate

transitive verb

1a : 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

Other Words from regulate Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about regulate

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Other Words from regulate

regulative \ ˈre-gyə-ˌlā-tiv

also ˈrā- \ adjective

regulatory \ ˈre-gyə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē

also ˈrā- \ adjective

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

The budget contains a provision permitting and regulating the practice. — Chris Carola, The Seattle Times, "Manhattan tolls, plastic bag ban poised for approval in NY," 30 Mar. 2019 Mindfulness has been shown in research to improve self-control, helping people regulate their emotions. — Sue Shellenbarger, WSJ, "Turn Your Weekends Into Mini-Vacations," 26 Mar. 2019 Specifically, bright light exposure early in the day stimulates serotonin production, improving your mood and happiness, and regulates melatonin in the evening, improving your sleep. — Lynn Kim, House Beautiful, "This Little Light Could Make You Feel Happier," 26 Mar. 2019 Congress could potentially pass legislation that would help regulate beauty products and protect consumers. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "So, About the FDA Finding Asbestos in Claire's Makeup: Here's What the Government Is Doing About It," 12 Mar. 2019 According to a report from Bloomberg, the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not considering a roll back of Obama-era rules regulating industrial emissions of mercury. — Megan Geuss, Ars Technica, "EPA to keep Obama-era mercury rules, but make it harder to tighten them," 26 Dec. 2018 Walnuts are one of the best food sources for melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the body clock for a better night's sleep. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Pear & Walnut Salad," 21 Dec. 2018 The House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy held a hearing today about the health risks of these products and how they're regulated — or as of right now, unregulated. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "So, About the FDA Finding Asbestos in Claire's Makeup: Here's What the Government Is Doing About It," 12 Mar. 2019 The inactive ingredients, meaning any of the ingredients that are not considered actives by the FDA and regulated as such, are also important. — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "What Exactly Are 'Actives' in Skin-Care Products?," 8 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'regulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.