ENGLISH
REFERENCE

regulation

n. · adj.
US //ˌɹɛɡjəˈɫeɪʃən// UK //ɹˌɛɡjuːlˈeɪʃən// reg·u·la·tion
  1. 1 an official rule (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    an official rule or law that says how something should be done.

    a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority, often to govern conduct within a specific industry or organization.

    Example

    New safety regulations require all workers to wear helmets on the building site.

    Example

    The government introduced stricter environmental regulations to limit the amount of toxic waste factories can legally discharge into the river system.

  2. 2 the act of controlling (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    the act of controlling an activity or process by using rules.

    the process of monitoring and controlling an industry or activity through the application of rules and principles.

    Example

    The regulation of the banking industry helps protect people's money.

    Example

    Effective regulation of the telecommunications market ensures that no single company can establish a monopoly and inflate prices for consumers.

Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 biological control (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    the way a living thing controls its internal processes, like body temperature.

    the physiological or molecular mechanisms that maintain homeostasis or control gene expression within an organism.

    Example

    The body's regulation of blood sugar is very important for your health.

    Example

    The study focuses on the epigenetic regulation of specific genes during the early stages of embryonic development.

  2. 4 standard or required (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    following the official rules or being the standard type.

    prescribed by or conforming to official rules; often used to describe required equipment or clothing.

    Example

    He was wearing the regulation uniform for the private school.

    Example

    The athlete was disqualified because her equipment did not meet the regulation size specified in the tournament handbook.

Origin

From regulate + -ion.

© 2026 English Reference