De-regulated means free from government control or regulation. There are several synonyms for the word de-regulated that can be used interchangeably depending on the context. Some of the synonyms that can be used instead of de-regulated include liberated, deregulated, free, unrestricted, unregulated, and decentralized. For instance, the government de-regulated the telecom industry to encourage private investment and competition. This can be rephrased as the telecom industry was liberated from government controls to promote private investments and competition. Therefore, understanding the context of de-regulated usage is vital in identifying the most appropriate synonym that can effectively convey the intended message.