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

This can lead to demanding adults who lack self-regulation. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

In short, children who play Simon Says have to practice important cognitive skills, such as attention, listening, language, comprehension, self-regulation, following directions, decision-making, and more. —Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 24 Sep. 2024

Emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills—plays a critical role in this adaptive leadership process. —Andriana Eliadis, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024

Studies have found, for example, that children who participate in more unstructured play are likely to have better emotional self-regulation, executive functioning, and academic performance later in life. —Amanda Ruggeri, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above