Meaning & use
not regulated
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Not controlled or governed by official rules, laws, or an authority.
Grammar: Used after a linking verb like 'be' or 'remain': The industry is not regulated. It can also come before a noun: a not regulated product (less common; 'unregulated' is preferred before nouns).
Patterns
- be not regulated
- remain not regulated
- not regulated by someone/something
In some countries, herbal supplements are not regulated, so their contents can vary.
The financial advisor warned that the offshore account was not regulated by any authority.
If the drug is not regulated, its safety cannot be guaranteed.
Common combinations
- not regulated by law
- The practice is not regulated by law in many states.
- not regulated industry
- The not regulated industry attracted many small startups.
- remain not regulated
- Despite calls for change, the sector remained not regulated.
- completely not regulated
- Online gambling is completely not regulated in some jurisdictions.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unregulated
- This single adjective is the more usual choice before a noun: an unregulated market. 'Not regulated' is more common after a verb.
- uncontrolled
- Uncontrolled can mean without any control, often implying chaos, while 'not regulated' simply means no official rules apply.
- unrestricted
- Unrestricted means without limits, which may be allowed by rules; 'not regulated' means no rules exist at all.
Opposites
Word family
- regulate verb
- To control an activity or process with rules.
- regulation noun
- An official rule or the act of controlling something.
- regulatory adjective
- Relating to official rules or the bodies that make them.
- unregulated adjective
- Not controlled by rules; the opposite of regulated.
Commonly confused: not regulated or unregulated? not regulated or deregulated?
not regulated vs unregulated
Both mean the same, but 'unregulated' is a single adjective used mainly before nouns, while 'not regulated' is a phrase used mainly after verbs.
not regulated vs deregulated
Deregulated means rules that existed were removed, while 'not regulated' means rules never existed or still do not apply.
Practice
Unlike banks, payday lenders are ______ in many U.S. states.
Choose one answer.
After the verb 'are', the phrase 'not regulated' fits naturally. 'Unregulated' is usually used before a noun; 'deregulated' implies rules were removed; 'not regulation' is grammatically wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “not regulated”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.