self-regulation

noun

self-reg·​u·​la·​tion ˌself-ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən 

-ˌre-gə-,

 also  -ˌrā-

plural self-regulations

: the act or condition or an instance of regulating oneself or itself: such as

a

: control or supervision from within instead of by an external authority

the online marketing industry's self-regulation of consumer privacy protections

also : a rule imposed in self-regulation

Banks were left to largely manage themselves, and establish industry-wide self-regulations …

—Kevin Plummer

According to the Federal Trade Commission, food marketing cannot be false, deceptive or unfair. But there are other, more specific, self-regulations out there for ads related to kids.

—Alexandra Sifferlin

b

: the bringing of oneself or itself into a state of order, method, or uniformity

self-regulation of an ecosystem

emotional self-regulation

Examples of self-regulation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lawyers have long used the cloak of professionalism to preserve self-regulation, thwart competition, and operate by their own rules. —Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

For example, some parents may wonder if these behaviors are related to things like stimming (repetitive movement or sounds), echolalia (meaningless repetition of words), or self-regulation behaviors. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 12 May 2025

While Goldilocks Users arguably had the best outcomes overall, Bennett noted that each group presents unique challenges for self-regulation. —Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2025

Psychodynamic psychotherapy: Psychodynamic psychotherapy helps people develop better self-regulation and can assist them in rebuilding relationships. —Kathleen Daly, Verywell Health, 2 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-regulation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration