regulation 1 of 2

noun

ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce regulation (audio)
Definition of regulationnext
1
as in rule
a statement spelling out the proper procedure or conduct for an activity it's against community regulations to leave your trash on the curb for more than two days

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in management
the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something the owner seldom visited the plant and did not take an active part in the regulation of the company

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in oversight
the duty or function of watching or guarding for the sake of proper direction or control the regulation of the soccer team was left entirely to the head coach and her assistants

Synonyms & Similar Words

regulation

2 of 2

adjective

as in legal

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word regulation distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of regulation are canon, law, ordinance, precept, rule, and statute. While all these words mean "a principle governing action or procedure," regulation implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system.

regulations affecting nuclear power plants

When could canon be used to replace regulation?

While the synonyms canon and regulation are close in meaning, canon suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide.

the canons of good taste

When is law a more appropriate choice than regulation?

Although the words law and regulation have much in common, law implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority.

obey the law

When might ordinance be a better fit than regulation?

While in some cases nearly identical to regulation, ordinance applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality.

a city ordinance

When is it sensible to use precept instead of regulation?

The words precept and regulation can be used in similar contexts, but precept commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching.

the precepts of effective writing

When can rule be used instead of regulation?

In some situations, the words rule and regulation are roughly equivalent. However, rule applies to more restricted or specific situations.

the rules of the game

When would statute be a good substitute for regulation?

The words statute and regulation are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, statute implies a law enacted by a legislative body.

a statute requiring the use of seat belts

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of regulation
Noun
Brett Maher went 6-for-9 on field goals while kicking into a non-regulation, skinny post, his longest from 50 yards. —Dallas News, 18 Aug. 2022 Still, presuming that the anti-regulation guests also made misleading scientific statements (no big assumption, given the way this debate tends to go), the result is closely related. —Chris Mooney, Discover Magazine, 7 June 2011
Adjective
In 1978, although industry groups objected that uncertainty was still too high to justify regulations, several agencies banned the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as propellants in aerosol spray cans, based on modeling that predicted CFCs were destroying the ozone layer. —David Michaels, The Atlantic, 20 July 2025 This hard-shell set is lightweight, meets TSA regulations, and fits perfectly in most overhead bins, even on smaller planes. —Julie Rousseau, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for regulation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regulation
  1. rule
  2. management
  3. oversight
  4. legal
  5. law
  6. supervision
  7. stewardship
  8. lawful
Noun
  • What if my neighbor doesn't follow Milwaukee's rules about weeds and grass?
    — Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 25 July 2025
  • Her charges, as a rule, have been greatly comforted in their final moments.
    — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
Definition of rule
Noun
  • Any deals are likely to be in Goldman’s asset management arm, which oversees $3.3 trillion but doesn’t carry the same cachet as firms such as Blackstone or KKR.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 21 July 2025
  • Leslie Lee, Head of Product at Squid AI, brings 20 years in enterprise AI, data analytics, scalable automation and cloud product management.
    — Leslie Lee, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Definition of management
Noun
  • My experience shows that with careful planning, responsible AI practices and human oversight, agentic AI not only addresses today’s support challenges but also paves the way for entirely new service models.
    — Varun Milind Kulkarni, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • Arizona passed a law creating an independent oversight office for state prisons.
    — Elena Santa Cruz, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025
Definition of oversight
Adjective
  • The restoration follows several efforts by the Trump administration to end legal protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, including more than 200,000 Haitians who entered the U.S. under a Biden-era humanitarian parole program.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 19 July 2025
  • As machine learning systems become capable of astonishing feats—drafting legal briefs, diagnosing diseases, predicting consumer churn—our natural tendency is to trust them.
    — Ted Ladd, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of legal
Noun
  • Ohio's new law requires public school districts, charter schools and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) schools to ban students' use of cellphones in schools by Jan. 1, 2026.
    — Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, 15 July 2025
  • The Tennessee Court of Appeals struck a blow against the city on June 5 by ruling 2-1 that a state law that caps metropolitan councils at 20 members is constitutional.
    — Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 15 July 2025
Definition of law
Noun
  • Intermittent remote supervision and remote assistance continue forever, and do not disqualify a team from crossing the line.
    — Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
    — Don Sweeney July 14, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of supervision
Noun
  • Clear desk enforcement helped the firm reduce data exposure and created a culture of information stewardship.
    — Bojan Ilic, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Tad underscores the importance of treating water stewardship as a generational responsibility — pointing out that lakes can degrade over time if not carefully managed.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 11 July 2025
Definition of stewardship
Adjective
  • There are themes of this ideology expressed in today’s Republican political administration through ICE activities which include wider deportation reach, rapid deportation and crackdown on lawful immigrants.
    — Dr. Howard A. Selinger, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2025
  • The law imposes strict compliance obligations on both domestic and foreign issuers, including the ability to freeze or seize assets in response to lawful orders.
    — Becca Bratcher, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
Definition of lawful

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regulating
regulation
regulations
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Cite this Entry

“Regulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regulation. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on regulation

Nglish: Translation of regulation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about regulation

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