self-regulate
verb
self-reg·u·late
ˌself-ˈre-gyə-ˌlāt 
also -ˈrā-
self-regulated; self-regulating; self-regulates
1
intransitive
: to regulate oneself or itself
allowing markets to self-regulate
… noted the overwhelming lack of public trust in the financial services industry's ability to self-regulate effectively …—
Sally Rose
Sally RoseThe idea is that the kids learn how to manage and self-regulate.—Cheyenne Derksen Schroeder
Cheyenne Derksen Schroeder2
transitive
: to control or govern (something) for or by oneself
… was hired by the motion picture industry to head up a new body to self-regulate the movies.—Katharine Monk
Katharine Monkthe ability of the child to self-regulate her behavior
… a horse who is permitted to self-regulate his intake will eat only what his body needs.—Juliet M. Getty
Juliet M. GettyExamples of self-regulate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Teach your little ones how to self-regulate Babies depend on adults to regulate their emotions, said Emily Perepa, a therapist with The Family Institute at Northwestern University.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Without federal safeguards, businesses will need to self-regulate and ensure compliance with existing anti-discrimination and labor laws to avoid legal repercussions.
—Frederik Riskær Pedersen, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Over time, proponents say, a major benefit of democratic parenting is that your children will:
Learn to self-regulate.
—Miranda Rake, Parents, 14 Mar. 2025
Diet monitoring apps were linked to intentionally self-regulating caloric intake (dietary restraint), a preoccupation with food, and eating concerns.
—New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-regulate
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Madeline Mitchell, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025
Without federal safeguards, businesses will need to self-regulate and ensure compliance with existing anti-discrimination and labor laws to avoid legal repercussions.
—Frederik Riskær Pedersen, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Over time, proponents say, a major benefit of democratic parenting is that your children will:
Learn to self-regulate.
—Miranda Rake, Parents, 14 Mar. 2025
Diet monitoring apps were linked to intentionally self-regulating caloric intake (dietary restraint), a preoccupation with food, and eating concerns.
—New Atlas, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-regulate
Cite this Entry
“Self-regulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-regulate. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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