regulate

regulate — verb

1. to use official rules or laws to control how something is done or how people beh

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to use official rules or laws to control how something is done or how people behave — for example, regulating the financial industry, or regulating the amount of pollution a factory can release.

Example

The government regulates the sale of medicines to ensure they are safe.

regulate + noun phrase for controlling by law

New rules were introduced to regulate how banks lend money to customers.

passive: be introduced to regulate + how-clause

Common collocations
  • government regulation
  • regulate the market
  • regulate industry
  • regulate prices
  • regulate trade
  • strictly regulated
  • regulate the use of
  • regulate by law
Synonyms
  • control

    Broader term; can mean any form of power or direction, not necessarily through formal rules.

  • govern

    Suggests authority over a state or large organization, with an emphasis on policy-making.

  • oversee

    Implies watching over a process to ensure it runs correctly, with less direct rule-setting.

  • manage

    Focuses on directing people or resources efficiently; less about enforcing rules.

Antonyms
  • deregulate

    To remove existing rules or restrictions, allowing free operation.

Grammar Patterns

regulate + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used in the passive voice, especially with 'be regulated by [authority]'. The subject is typically a government agency, official body, or legal system.

Common Mistakes

The school principal regulated the students by telling them to be quiet.
The school principal controlled the students by telling them to be quiet.
'Regulate' means control through rules, laws, or systems, not through direct commands or personal authority.
The company regulated the price by putting a new tag on each item.
The company set the price by putting a new tag on each item.
'Regulate' implies ongoing control by rules, not a one-time decision.

2. to make a machine, device, or system work at a particular level of speed, temper

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make a machine, device, or system work at a particular level of speed, temperature, pressure, or another measurable condition — for example, regulating the temperature in a room, or regulating the flow of water through a pipe.

Example

The wall thermostat regulates the temperature in the living room automatically.

regulate + noun phrase for adjusting a device or system

You can regulate the speed of the fan by turning this dial.

Common collocations
  • regulate temperature
  • regulate speed
  • regulate pressure
  • regulate flow
  • regulate the amount of
  • regulate the level of
  • regulate volume
  • regulate the timing
Synonyms
  • adjust

    More general; can mean any small change to make something work better, not necessarily involving rules or controls.

  • modulate

    More technical; suggests varying a signal, frequency, or output level in response to changing conditions.

  • control

    In a mechanical context, overlaps with 'regulate' but is broader and less precise.

  • set

    Means to fix a value rather than continuously adjusting; a one-time action rather than ongoing regulation.

Grammar Patterns

regulate + noun phrase

Usage Note

Common in technical and scientific contexts. The object is typically a measurable physical quantity such as temperature, speed, pressure, flow rate, or timing.

Common Mistakes

He regulated the TV by turning it on.
He turned the TV on.
'Regulate' means to fine-tune a level or rate, not simply to operate a device.
She regulated the radio to find a better station.
She tuned the radio to find a better station.
'Regulate' is about controlling a condition or output level, not searching or selecting.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Control is the broadest of these terms — it can mean any kind of power or influence over something, from direct command to informal guidance. Govern implies official authority over a state, organisation, or system, with an emphasis on setting policy. Oversee suggests watching over a process or group to ensure it runs correctly, without necessarily being hands-on. Manage focuses on directing people or resources efficiently in day-to-day operations. Regulate is more specific: it means to control by applying rules, standards, or a formal system of limits. You control a car by steering it, but the government regulates the financial industry by enforcing laws. A manager oversees daily office tasks, while a regulatory agency sets the rules that the office must follow.

control ↗govern ↗oversee ↗manage ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Comes from Latin 'regula', meaning 'a rule' or 'a straight stick used for measuring'. The verb 'regulate' entered English in the early 1600s from Late Latin 'regulatus', meaning 'to control by a rule'. The mechanical sense — adjusting a machine to work at a certain level — developed in the 1700s alongside the Industrial Revolution.