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
This gave cities the ability to regulate and provide services to unincorporated areas.
—
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
That means the drugs may alter hormone levels and the systems that control how the body uses energy and nutrients, which help regulate the hair growth cycle and could shift more hairs into a shedding phase.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Leaves contain tiny openings called stomata1; these pores allow plants to exchange gases and regulate moisture.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
The bill wouldn’t legalize the practice or set up an oversight structure regulating it, as the state did with marijuana and Nevada has done with prostitution in several counties.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regulate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Feb. 2026
That means the drugs may alter hormone levels and the systems that control how the body uses energy and nutrients, which help regulate the hair growth cycle and could shift more hairs into a shedding phase.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Feb. 2026
Leaves contain tiny openings called stomata1; these pores allow plants to exchange gases and regulate moisture.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
The bill wouldn’t legalize the practice or set up an oversight structure regulating it, as the state did with marijuana and Nevada has done with prostitution in several counties.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for regulate
Cite this Entry
“Regulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regulate. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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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