regularize: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “regularize” mean?
To make something regular, conform to rules, or bring something within a recognized official framework.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make something regular, conform to rules, or bring something within a recognized official framework.
To arrange or organize something in a standard, consistent, and orderly manner, often to give it legal or official validity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British spelling is 'regularise', American is 'regularize'. Both use '-ize'/-'ise' forms accordingly.
Connotations
Both have the same formal/technical connotation. In UK contexts, it's strongly associated with immigration and employment law.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English in legal, bureaucratic, and immigration contexts. In US English, used more in technical/scientific and business contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “regularize” in a Sentence
NP ___ NP (The government regularized his status.)NP ___ NP as NP (They regularized the software as an official tool.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “regularize” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council will regularise the planning permission.
- He applied to regularise his stay in the UK.
American English
- The university moved to regularize its adjunct faculty positions.
- The new law aims to regularize the immigration status of thousands.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company moved to regularize all freelance contracts.
Academic
The researcher sought to regularize the data collection method.
Everyday
We need to regularize our weekly grocery shopping.
Technical
The algorithm regularizes the input data to prevent overfitting.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “regularize”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “regularize”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “regularize”
- Using it intransitively (e.g., 'The situation regularized'). It is almost always transitive.
- Confusing with 'regulate' (which is about controlling an ongoing process) – 'regularize' is about fixing a one-off status.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Make regular' can mean to make something happen at fixed intervals. 'Regularize' specifically means to bring something into conformity with rules, laws, or a standard framework.
'Legalize' means to make something that was illegal, legal. 'Regularize' is broader; it can mean to make something conform to rules, which may include legalizing it, but also includes formalizing unofficial arrangements or standardizing irregular procedures.
It is quite a formal word. In everyday speech, people might use phrases like 'sort out officially', 'make it official', or 'formalize' instead.
The main noun form is 'regularization' (US) / 'regularisation' (UK).
To make something regular, conform to rules, or bring something within a recognized official framework.
Regularize is usually formal, technical, academic in register.
Regularize: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɛɡjʊlərʌɪz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɛɡjələˌraɪz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to bring into line”
- “to put on a formal footing”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: Making something REGULAR in size (REGULAR-IZE). It's the action of turning irregular things into regular ones.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORDER IS REGULARITY (Bringing chaos into a structured pattern).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'regularize' most precisely used?