self-regulation
noun
self-reg·u·la·tion
ˌself-ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən 
-ˌre-gə-,
also -ˌrā-
plural self-regulations
: the act or condition or an instance of regulating oneself or itself: such as
a
: control or supervision from within instead of by an external authority
the online marketing industry's self-regulation of consumer privacy protections
also
: a rule imposed in self-regulation
Banks were left to largely manage themselves, and establish industry-wide self-regulations … —
Kevin Plummer
Kevin Plummer According to the Federal Trade Commission, food marketing cannot be false, deceptive or unfair. But there are other, more specific, self-regulations out there for ads related to kids. —Alexandra Sifferlin
Alexandra Sifferlin
b
: the bringing of oneself or itself into a state of order, method, or uniformity
self-regulation of an ecosystem
emotional self-regulation
Examples of self-regulation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Many felt self-regulation is not enough, according to the institution that hosted the event, and researchers are gearing up to meet again in Manchester, England, and Singapore to discuss next steps.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
To come full circle to the elements of EQ, while entrainment requires no conscious effort, self-awareness and self-regulation to maintain a coherent state may well require intentionality and practice, especially under difficult conditions.
—Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Governments cannot rely solely on the self-regulation of scientific communities.
—Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
The extra year is beneficial if boys are given the ability to learn and practice skills like self-regulation, multi-tasking, focus, and waiting for their turn.
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-regulation
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N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2025
To come full circle to the elements of EQ, while entrainment requires no conscious effort, self-awareness and self-regulation to maintain a coherent state may well require intentionality and practice, especially under difficult conditions.
—Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Governments cannot rely solely on the self-regulation of scientific communities.
—Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
The extra year is beneficial if boys are given the ability to learn and practice skills like self-regulation, multi-tasking, focus, and waiting for their turn.
—Ashleigh N. Deluca, Parents, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-regulation
Cite this Entry
“Self-regulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-regulation. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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