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
In other words, male respectability was gauged by how successfully women’s bodies were regulated.
—
JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
The procedure involves injecting a local anesthetic into a cluster of nerves in the neck that could potentially regulate the sympathetic nervous system.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Breakfast Cereal Whole-grain cereals, such as those made from oats or whole wheat, are rich in fiber, which supports digestion, promotes heart health, and helps regulate blood sugar.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2025
Indeed, China joined with Russia in September to push for a six-month extension of the JCPOA, arguing that more time was needed for diplomatic efforts and pointing to what Beijing saw as signs that Iran wanted to engage with the international community on regulating its nuclear program.
—Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regulate
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JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
The procedure involves injecting a local anesthetic into a cluster of nerves in the neck that could potentially regulate the sympathetic nervous system.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Breakfast Cereal Whole-grain cereals, such as those made from oats or whole wheat, are rich in fiber, which supports digestion, promotes heart health, and helps regulate blood sugar.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2025
Indeed, China joined with Russia in September to push for a six-month extension of the JCPOA, arguing that more time was needed for diplomatic efforts and pointing to what Beijing saw as signs that Iran wanted to engage with the international community on regulating its nuclear program.
—Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 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 Nov. 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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