regulate

/ˌrɛgjəˈleɪt/

/ˈrɛgjuleɪt/

Other forms: regulated; regulating; regulates

The on-off spigot regulates the flow of water into your bathtub. When a government regulates an industry, they set standards the industry must follow. To regulate means to impose control.

Regulate shares a root with the word, regular. When the transit authority regulates a train schedule, it makes sure trains arrive on a more regular schedule. The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated –– before a drug can be marketed, it must be tested. On a more personal level, if you want to regulate your digestive system, try eating more fiber... or prunes!

Definitions of regulate

1. verb

   bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations
   “We cannot regulate the way people dress”

   “This town likes to regulate”

   synonyms: govern, order, regularise, regularize

   antonyms:

   deregulate

   lift the regulations on

   types:

   standardise, standardize

   cause to conform to standard or norm

   district, zone

   regulate housing in; of certain areas of towns

   gauge

   adapt to a specified measurement

   type of:

   decide, determine, make up one's mind

   reach, make, or come to a decision about something
2. verb

   shape or influence; give direction to
   synonyms: determine, influence, mold, shape

   types:

   dispose, incline

   make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief

   disincline, indispose

   make unwilling

   miscreate

   shape or form or make badly

   carry weight

   have influence to a specified degree

   decide

   influence or determine

   reshape

   shape anew or differently

   time

   set the speed, duration, or execution of

   index

   adjust through indexation

   pace

   regulate or set the pace of

   predetermine

   determine beforehand

   predispose

   make susceptible

   foreordain, predestine, preordain

   foreordain or determine beforehand

   foreordain, predestinate, predestine

   foreordain by divine will or decree

   type of:

   cause, do, make

   give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
3. verb

   fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of
   “regulate the temperature”

   synonyms: modulate

   type of:

   adjust, correct, set

   alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
4. verb

   check the emission of (sound)
   synonyms: baffle

   type of:

   bound, confine, limit, restrain, restrict, throttle, trammel

   place limits on (extent or access)