regulation

regulation — noun

1. a formal written instruction from an authority — such as a government agency — t

1.nounB1
Definition

a formal written instruction from an authority — such as a government agency — that tells people and organisations how something must be done

Example

The new safety regulation requires all factory workers to wear hard hats on site.

require + object + to-infinitive showing what the rule demands

Nikhil's company was fined for breaking the environmental regulations on waste disposal.

collocation: break / violate a regulation

Common collocations
  • comply with regulations
  • break / violate a regulation
  • safety regulations
  • building regulations
  • environmental regulations
  • government regulations
  • strict / tough regulations
  • introduce / enforce regulations
Synonyms
  • rule

    less formal and broader; a regulation is a type of official rule

  • directive

    more specific; an instruction about what to do, often from a higher authority

  • ordinance

    used mainly for local or city-level regulations

Grammar Patterns

regulation + on/about + noun phrase

regulation + for + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used in the plural — regulations — when referring to a set of rules on a topic. A regulation is more specific than a law: it is a detailed rule that explains how a broader law must be followed. Common with prepositions on (regulations on food safety) and about.

Common Mistakes

The government passed a new regulation law.
The government passed a new regulation.
A regulation IS a kind of rule, not a type of law.
This regulation says that...
This regulation states that...
In formal writing, use state or require instead of the informal say.

2. the activity of keeping a process, system, or industry within set limits by usin

2.nounB2
Definition

the activity of keeping a process, system, or industry within set limits by using rules and guidelines

Example

Strict regulation of the banking industry helped prevent another financial crisis.

regulation of + [industry]: specifying the domain being controlled

The regulation of blood sugar levels is important for people with diabetes.

Common collocations
  • government regulation
  • industry regulation
  • price regulation
  • tight / strict regulation
  • self-regulation
  • regulation of + [field/industry]
  • call for / introduce regulation
Synonyms
  • control

    broader and can be direct/physical; regulation implies rule-based control

  • oversight

    focuses on monitoring and supervision rather than rule-making

  • governance

    wider in scope, covering policies, accountability, and decision-making

Grammar Patterns

regulation + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Uncountable in this sense — you would not say a regulation to mean the process of controlling. Frequently appears in academic writing, legal texts, and policy discussions. Distinguish from sense 1: this is about the activity of controlling, not any single written rule.

Common Mistakes

The government passed a new regulation of the industry.
The government introduced tighter regulation of the industry.
When you mean the process of controlling, use regulation as an uncountable noun; for a specific written rule, use the countable sense 1.
We need regulations of the banking system.
We need regulation of the banking system.
When referring to the overall system of control, use the singular uncountable form.

regulation — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words describe standards that guide behaviour, they differ in scope, authority, and specificity. A law is the broadest — a rule passed by a legislature that everyone in a jurisdiction must follow. A regulation is narrower: it is a detailed rule issued by a government agency or authority to explain how a law will be put into practice. For example, a law may say 'factories must be safe,' and the safety regulations spell out the exact equipment required. A rule is the most general term — it can refer to any guideline, from a classroom rule to a sports rule, and does not carry the legal force of a regulation. A directive is an official instruction from a higher authority, often used in organisational or EU legal contexts; it tells people what must be achieved but leaves room for local interpretation. In everyday speech, rule is the common choice ('No running — that's the rule'), while regulation sounds more formal and official ('fire safety regulations').

rule ↗regulation ↗law ↗directive ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • strictly regulated

Phrases

  • in accordance with regulations
  • code of regulations
  • regulatory body

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Regulation comes from the Latin word regula, meaning 'a straight stick' or 'a rule'. The same root gave us regular, reign, and correct. In late Latin, regulatio meant 'the act of making straight or orderly'. The word entered English through Old French in the 1600s, first used for the process of governing or directing, and later taking on the modern meaning of an official written rule.