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
Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah recently passed laws regulating e-bikes to fill the gap.
—
Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
The Obama administration tried to narrow and regulate those powers by embedding counterterrorism within a system of legal rules and procedures.
—Melinda Haas, The Conversation, 3 Dec. 2025
One difference with rival Polymarket, though, is that Kalshi is federally regulated and prefers fiat currency.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
Alcohol consumption will be closely regulated — drinks will be limited to 16 ounces of beer, 12 ounces of wine or hard seltzer, and two ounces of liquor.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regulate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2025
The Obama administration tried to narrow and regulate those powers by embedding counterterrorism within a system of legal rules and procedures.
—Melinda Haas, The Conversation, 3 Dec. 2025
One difference with rival Polymarket, though, is that Kalshi is federally regulated and prefers fiat currency.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
Alcohol consumption will be closely regulated — drinks will be limited to 16 ounces of beer, 12 ounces of wine or hard seltzer, and two ounces of liquor.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 2 Dec. 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 5 Dec. 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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