regulator
gb/ɹˈɛɡjəlˌeɪtɚ/ us/ɹˈɛɡjəlˌeɪtɚ/
B2
English
~ 5600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
B2
entity
1
official body that enforces rules
A government person or group that controls an industry and checks that companies follow the rules.
Usage pattern:
a regulator of [industry/activity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "regulator" with "regulation". "Regulator" is the person or organization that controls things; "regulations" are the rules themselves. Some also use "boss" instead of "regulator", but a regulator is usually a public or independent authority, not an internal manager.
Synonyms
watchdog (Often more informal and emphasizes monitoring and warning rather than formal legal power.)
|
regulatory body (More explicitly organizational and formal; almost always refers to an institution, not a single person.)
Antonyms
deregulator (Refers to a person or body that reduces or removes rules instead of enforcing them.)
Collocations
financial regulator
|industry regulator
|government regulator
|market regulator
|independent regulator
|energy regulator
Themes
law
|business
|politics
Examples
- The financial regulator fined the bank for misleading customers.
- Telecom regulators are considering new rules on mobile phone charges.
- The data protection regulator has the power to investigate any company that misuses personal information.
- Environmental regulators shut down the plant after discovering several serious safety violations.
- Industry regulators often consult consumer groups before changing the rules.
Learner examples
- The regulator told the company to change its unsafe practices.
- Our bank was checked by the financial regulator.
- The regulator can close a business if it breaks the law.
- New rules were announced by the energy regulator.
- The government created a new regulator for online services.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
2
device that keeps something constant
A machine part that keeps something, like gas, water, or electricity, at the right level or speed.
Usage pattern:
a [type] regulator controls [quantity]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "regulator" when they mean a human controller or manager in everyday contexts. For people, it is more natural to say "operator", "manager", or "controller"; "regulator" for this sense is mainly a physical device or component.
Synonyms
controller (Very general; can refer to any device that controls something, not only one that keeps it within a narrow range.)
|
governor (Technical; used especially for devices that limit engine speed.)
Antonyms
booster (A device that increases power, pressure, or signal strength, rather than limiting or stabilizing it.)
Collocations
voltage regulator
|pressure regulator
|temperature regulator
|speed regulator
|gas regulator
|automatic regulator
Themes
technology
|science
|engineering
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The scuba tank’s regulator reduces the high-pressure air to a safe breathing pressure.
- You need a voltage regulator to protect the circuit from power surges.
- The gas regulator must be checked regularly to prevent leaks.
- An automatic pressure regulator keeps the water flow steady throughout the building.
- The temperature regulator failed, causing the engine to overheat.
Learner examples
- This machine has a regulator to control the air pressure.
- We installed a voltage regulator to protect the computer.
- The gas regulator makes sure the flame is not too strong.
- A small regulator keeps the engine speed steady.
- If the regulator breaks, the system can become dangerous.
Noun
technical
C2
entity
3
clock or watch timing mechanism
The special part inside a clock or watch that controls how fast it moves and how exact the time is.
Usage pattern:
a regulator in [clock/watch] controls [timekeeping rate]
Common mistake:
Learners rarely meet this meaning and may assume "regulator" is always an official body or a general control device. In watchmaking, it is a very specific internal part, not the whole clock.
Synonyms
timekeeping mechanism (Broader; refers to the whole system that controls time, not just the specific regulating part.)
Antonyms
accelerator (In general technical language, an element that speeds up a process, as opposed to a regulator, which controls and stabilizes speed.)
Collocations
clock regulator
|watch regulator
|pendulum regulator
|regulator mechanism
Themes
technology
|timekeeping
|time
|science
Examples
- The watchmaker adjusted the regulator so the watch would gain less than a second a day.
- Dust in the regulator can cause the clock to run slow.
- This antique clock has a very sensitive regulator behind the dial.
- If the regulator is damaged, the timepiece will no longer keep accurate time.
- He learned how to move the tiny regulator arm to fine-tune the watch.
Learner examples
- The small regulator inside the watch controls the time.
- The clock runs too fast because the regulator is not set correctly.
- A watchmaker moved the regulator to fix the time problem.
- Old clocks often need the regulator to be cleaned.
- If the regulator breaks, the watch cannot keep good time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
regulator
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛɡjəlˌeɪtɚ/
US/ɹˈɛɡjəlˌeɪtɚ/
Syllables & stress
reg - u - lat - or (4 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (reg)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: regulator
- Plural: regulators
Word family
Forms
regulators
noun
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
regulative
adjective
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.