1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

regulates

verb

present tense third-person singular of regulate
1
as in contains
to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you would be well advised to regulate your enthusiasm for the venture and pause to consider the risk involved

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in supervises
to look after and make decisions about the government agency that regulates the nuclear power industry in this country

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of regulates Despite the close parallels to placing a bet on the game in Las Vegas, prediction markets have fallen under the purview of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the same federal agency that regulates oil futures and credit default swaps. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 But at the moment, the CFTC — which regulates derivatives contracts — currently only has one, chairman Michael Selig. — Davis Giangiulio,justin Papp, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 That’s because estrogen is what regulates our body’s production of collagen, the protein that keeps your skin firm, bouncy, strong and healthy. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026 The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates products used in the workplace. — Alison J. Stein, HubSpot, 1 Sep. 2026 Your internal clock refers to the roughly 24-hour rhythm that regulates many processes in the body. — Maggie Donahue, HEALTH, 1 Sep. 2026 The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates prediction markets, ordered Santos to give back those profits as part of a settlement reached with the former congressman last month. — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 The agency regulates broadcast channels that are delivered over the public airwaves. — Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Niacinamide — a multi-functional ingredient that strengthens the skin barrier, regulates oil production, and calms and fades discoloration — is also in the mix. — Claudia Fisher, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regulates
  1. contains
  2. supervises
  3. controls
  4. operates
  5. keeps
  6. oversees
  7. restrains
  8. manages
Verb
  • The bill, to its credit, contains a lot of admirable protections for athletes, most notably a 5 percent cap on agents’ commissions on NIL deals.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Thanks to the single-floor layout of the tiny house, this has ample headroom to stand upright and contains a double bed and some storage.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of contains
Verb
  • In her current role, Second Assistant District Attorney, Sprague supervises all homicides that occur in Plymouth County as well as all firearm and narcotics cases, according to her profile.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The quotation should identify who designs the hairline, administers local anesthesia, performs recipient incisions and supervises graft placement.
    — Malana VanTyler, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of supervises
Verb
  • Before work begins, ask who owns those assets, who controls the accounts and what happens when the commercial relationship ends.
    — Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That’s partly thanks to US technology controls that limit Chinese companies’ access to advanced AI processors — essential for training increasingly complex AI models.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of controls
Verb
  • Reportedly, this system operates through a two-way connection, linking real-time image recognition directly with surgical manipulation.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • SpaceX already operates its Starbase spaceport in rural Texas, as well as launchpads at government spaceports on the coasts of California and Florida.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Scientific American, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of operates
Verb
  • Would the Pistons exercise that right, if only to remove some of the pressure that keeps rising as that ominous October date nears?
    — Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • This attempt by Israel to muzzle hope and stifle joy keeps repeating itself in all aspects of Palestinian life.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of keeps
Verb
  • Last year, Florida trustees approved the hiring of Michigan president Santa Ono, but the board that oversees all of the state’s universities and colleges rejected him.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • But the education department oversees the Commission for Independent Education, which licenses unaccredited, private schools like Carleen.
    — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of oversees
Verb
  • On that same front, Hoffman’s order restrains the NCAA from enforcing the rule of restitution.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Elsewhere on the canvas, Cassatt restrains herself to match Katherine’s discipline.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of restrains
Verb
  • His fortune has also swelled thanks to gains from his private investment firm DFO Management—which manages his wealth and capital—and invests in public stocks, private companies, real estate, and liquid corporate credit.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
  • There’s always a guard on the take, a civilian who manages to lend an assist from the outside, or — as the case may be — a creative writing teacher who develops a crush on one of her inmate students.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of manages

Browse Nearby Words

regulated
regulates
regulating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Regulates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regulates. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of facsimile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All