self-regulatory
adjective
self-reg·u·la·to·ry
ˌself-ˈre-gyə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 
also -ˈrā-
: serving or tending to regulate oneself or itself
a self-regulatory industry
… the ABA [American Bar Association] worries that perhaps lawyers will lose a measure of self-regulatory power.—
The National Law Journal
The National Law JournalExamples of self-regulatory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite its frequent finger-wagging, the ASA is a non-statutory, self-regulatory organization that cannot interpret or enforce legislation in the U.K.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Any self-regulatory effort will face this same problem.
—Emma Llansó, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2019
By actively participating in or even helping shape self-regulatory initiatives, organizations can build trust, differentiate themselves in global markets and help reduce the risk of more burdensome government intervention.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
The Code, a set of self-regulatory guidelines applied to film production, was begrudgingly accepted by film execs, writes Steven Vaughn.
—Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
Yet, self-compassion restores self-regulatory resources, or more plainly: will power.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Research could focus on assessing the success of self-regulatory initiatives across different industries, looking at factors such as compliance rates, consumer outcomes and regulatory costs.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Back then, industries began to take greater responsibility for their actions, initiating voluntary self-regulatory programs that promised to fill the regulatory gaps left by government agencies.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
In this instance, the automotive industry, in collaboration with privacy compliance professionals, could take the lead in developing a robust self-regulatory framework.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
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Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 6 Aug. 2025
Any self-regulatory effort will face this same problem.
—Emma Llansó, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2019
By actively participating in or even helping shape self-regulatory initiatives, organizations can build trust, differentiate themselves in global markets and help reduce the risk of more burdensome government intervention.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
The Code, a set of self-regulatory guidelines applied to film production, was begrudgingly accepted by film execs, writes Steven Vaughn.
—Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
Yet, self-compassion restores self-regulatory resources, or more plainly: will power.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Research could focus on assessing the success of self-regulatory initiatives across different industries, looking at factors such as compliance rates, consumer outcomes and regulatory costs.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Back then, industries began to take greater responsibility for their actions, initiating voluntary self-regulatory programs that promised to fill the regulatory gaps left by government agencies.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
In this instance, the automotive industry, in collaboration with privacy compliance professionals, could take the lead in developing a robust self-regulatory framework.
—Eric Reicin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-regulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-regulatory. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
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