deregulation

noun

de·​reg·​u·​la·​tion (ˌ)dē-ˌre-gyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce deregulation (audio)
: the act or process of removing restrictions and regulations
deregulate
(ˌ)dē-ˈre-gyə-ˌlāt How to pronounce deregulation (audio)
transitive verb

Examples of deregulation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then, as deregulation and contraction brought cost-cutting, more stations farmed out traffic coverage to the point that large numbers of radio stations get reports from people not even in their cities. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Early childhood policy experts argue the deregulation could undermine Head Start's position as the gold standard in early education. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026 Tenant groups and some housing researchers argue deregulation, not stabilization, has done more long-term damage to affordability, noting more than 300,000 units were deregulated between 1994 and 2019. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026 Alan Greenspan, Volcker’s successor, became known as the Maestro after presiding over rapid growth combined with low inflation and financial deregulation. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deregulation

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deregulation was in 1911

Rhymes for deregulation

See All Rhymes for deregulation

Browse Nearby Words

deregulate
deregulation
dereistic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deregulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deregulation. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on deregulation

Nglish: Translation of deregulation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deregulation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All