regulation

1 of 2

noun

reg·​u·​la·​tion ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce regulation (audio)
ˌre-gə-,
 also  ˌrā-
Synonyms of regulationnext
1
: the act of regulating : the state of being regulated
2
a
: an authoritative rule dealing with details or procedure
safety regulations
b
: a rule or order issued by an executive authority or regulatory agency of a government and having the force of law
3
a
: the process of redistributing material (as in an embryo) to restore a damaged or lost part independent of new tissue growth
b
: the mechanism by which an early embryo maintains normal development
4
a
or regulation time : the standard period of time established by the rules of a game or contest excluding overtime
Trailing by five with less than a minute to go in regulation, Boston forced the game into overtime …—Bob Ryan
Dallas downed the ball at the 20 with 1:47 left in regulation.—Ralph N. Paulk
… there will be a change in France for the 1988 World Cup: a sudden-death … period after regulation time.—George Vecsey
b
golf : the standard number of strokes allowed by par for reaching the green on a given hole (that is, one stroke on a par 3, two strokes on a par 4, and three strokes on a par 5)
Using his conservative left-to-right fade, he hit all but three greens in regulation.—Jaime Diaz

regulation

2 of 2

adjective

: conforming to regulations : official

Synonyms

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for regulation

law, rule, regulation, precept, statute, ordinance, canon mean a principle governing action or procedure.

law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority.

obey the law

rule applies to more restricted or specific situations.

the rules of the game

regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system.

regulations affecting nuclear power plants

precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching.

the precepts of effective writing

statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body.

a statute requiring the use of seat belts

ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality.

a city ordinance

canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide.

the canons of good taste

Examples of regulation in a Sentence

Noun Builders must comply with the regulations. regulations on the disposal of waste Each agency has its own set of rules and regulations. Adjective Students must wear regulation uniforms.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Meanwhile, Madrid’s official complaints to the Spanish government’s Higher Sports Council, alleging that La Liga did not have the competency to organise the Miami game within official regulations, sought to raise the possibility of Tebas being suspended from his position. —Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Each state has its own regulations and tax rates for sports betting. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Democrat amendments squashed Democrats and pro-regulation groups argued the measure lacks any awareness of the common good, and prioritizes political ambitions and corporate profits over people’s lives. —James Call, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2023 Bankman-Fried, after all, was supposed to be crypto’s good-guy wunderkind, the pro-regulation prophet who would finally lead crypto into the mainstream. —Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2022 See All Example Sentences for regulation

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of regulation was in 1611

Phrases Containing regulation

Rhymes for regulation

See All Rhymes for regulation

Browse Nearby Words

regulating station
regulation
regulatively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Regulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regulation. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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Kids Definition

regulation

1 of 2 noun
reg·​u·​la·​tion ˌreg-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce regulation (audio)
1
: the act of regulating : the state of being regulated
2
a
: a rule or order telling how something is to be done
safety regulations in a factory
b
: a rule or order having the force of law

regulation

2 of 2 adjective
: being in agreement with regulations
a regulation baseball

Medical Definition

regulation

noun
reg·​u·​la·​tion ˌreg-yə-ˈlā-shən, ˌreg-ə-ˈlā- How to pronounce regulation (audio)
1
: the act of regulating
also : the resulting state or condition
2
a
: the process of redistributing material (as in an embryo) to restore a damaged or lost part independent of new tissue growth compare regeneration sense 2
b
: the mechanism by which an early embryo maintains normal development
3
: the control of the kind and rate of cellular processes by controlling the activity of individual genes

Legal Definition

regulation

noun
reg·​u·​la·​tion
1
: the act of regulating or state of being regulated
2
: an authoritative rule
specifically : a rule or order issued by a government agency and often having the force of law see also Administrative Procedure Act

Note: An agency is often delegated the power to issue regulations by the legislation that created it. Regulations must be made in accordance with prescribed procedures, such as those set out in the federal or a state Administrative Procedure Act. Federal regulations are first published in the Federal Register and later codified in the Code of Federal Regulations.

More from Merriam-Webster on regulation

Nglish: Translation of regulation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about regulation

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