regulation

/ˌreɡjuˈleɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌreɡjuˈleɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən ˌre-gə- also ˌrā-/ (ame, mw) · /ˌreɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌreɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ (ame, ipa)

regulation — noun

  • regulationsingular
  • regulationsplural

1. a formal written instruction from an authority — such as a government agency — t

1.名詞B1
釋義

a formal written instruction from an authority — such as a government agency — that tells people and organisations how something must be done

例句

The new safety regulation requires all factory workers to wear hard hats on site.

require + object + to-infinitive showing what the rule demands

Nikhil's company was fined for breaking the environmental regulations on waste disposal.

collocation: break / violate a regulation

同義詞
  • rule

    less formal and broader; a regulation is a type of official rule

  • directive

    more specific; an instruction about what to do, often from a higher authority

  • ordinance

    used mainly for local or city-level regulations

文法句型

regulation + on/about + noun phrase

regulation + for + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often used in the plural — regulations — when referring to a set of rules on a topic. A regulation is more specific than a law: it is a detailed rule that explains how a broader law must be followed. Common with prepositions on (regulations on food safety) and about.

常見錯誤

❌The government passed a new regulation law.
✅The government passed a new regulation.
💡A regulation IS a kind of rule, not a type of law.
❌This regulation says that...
✅This regulation states that...
💡In formal writing, use state or require instead of the informal say.

2. the activity of keeping a process, system, or industry within set limits by usin

2.名詞B2
釋義

the activity of keeping a process, system, or industry within set limits by using rules and guidelines

例句

Strict regulation of the banking industry helped prevent another financial crisis.

regulation of + [industry]: specifying the domain being controlled

The regulation of blood sugar levels is important for people with diabetes.

同義詞
  • control

    broader and can be direct/physical; regulation implies rule-based control

  • oversight

    focuses on monitoring and supervision rather than rule-making

  • governance

    wider in scope, covering policies, accountability, and decision-making

文法句型

regulation + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Uncountable in this sense — you would not say a regulation to mean the process of controlling. Frequently appears in academic writing, legal texts, and policy discussions. Distinguish from sense 1: this is about the activity of controlling, not any single written rule.

常見錯誤

❌The government passed a new regulation of the industry.
✅The government introduced tighter regulation of the industry.
💡When you mean the process of controlling, use regulation as an uncountable noun; for a specific written rule, use the countable sense 1.
❌We need regulations of the banking system.
✅We need regulation of the banking system.
💡When referring to the overall system of control, use the singular uncountable form.

regulation — adjective