1. to regulate excessively or to an unnecessary degree
Usage: often used in political or economic contexts

Examples

• Critics argue that the government tends to overregulate small businesses.
• The new administration promised not to overregulate the financial sector.
• Some economists believe we should avoid overregulating emerging technologies.
• The industry complained that excessive rules would overregulate innovation.
• Environmental groups worry that the proposal would underregulate rather than overregulate pollution.
• The committee debated whether the current laws overregulate online commerce.