self-regulate

verb

self-reg·​u·​late ˌself-ˈre-gyə-ˌlāt 

 also  -ˈrā-

self-regulated; self-regulating; self-regulates

1

intransitive : to regulate oneself or itself

allowing markets to self-regulate

… noted the overwhelming lack of public trust in the financial services industry's ability to self-regulate effectively …

—Sally Rose

The idea is that the kids learn how to manage and self-regulate.

—Cheyenne Derksen Schroeder

2

transitive : to control or govern (something) for or by oneself

… was hired by the motion picture industry to head up a new body to self-regulate the movies.

—Katharine Monk

the ability of the child to self-regulate her behavior

… a horse who is permitted to self-regulate his intake will eat only what his body needs.

—Juliet M. Getty

self-regulative

ˌself-ˈre-gyə-ˌlā-tiv 

 also  -ˈrā-

adjective

self-regulative processes

Examples of self-regulate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Elements such as temperature range, self-regulating technology features, and settings that offered maximum control played a big factor in our testing, as well as hair-healthy materials used in heated plates or curling rods. —Olivia Cigliano, Footwear News, 12 June 2025

Mark says that in her decades of studying attention, she’s found that for about half the population — the half less able to self-regulate — these blocking programs help in the short term. —Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 12 June 2025

As a domestic product, Japanese whisky was largely self-regulated, with the understanding that the basic concepts of whisky classification in other countries should also apply in Japan. —Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025

Smith had promoted laissez-faire economics which contended a wide range of things, including the individual pursuit of self-interest, minimum government intervention in the economy, the value of competition, the belief in self-regulating free markets, and free trade. — Made By History, Time, 28 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for self-regulate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate