checks and balances

noun

plural in form but sometimes singular in construction

: a system that allows each branch of a government to amend, override, or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power or power beyond its authority

Things that for many decades were givens—the checks and balances on the executive, the role of the judiciary or the civil service, a media free from interference or vilification—now appear vulnerable.

—Emily Maitlis

"I do think that there is an expectation in our country that checks and balances is a good thing," [Senator John] Thune said …

—Stephen Groves

broadly : a system in which power and control is distributed and counterbalanced (as to prevent unethical or harmful actions)

Founders [of startup businesses] benefit from checks and balances. … It makes the company more trustworthy, easier to finance, and less likely to implode. For those same reasons, checks and balances help employees.

—Noam Wasserman

Examples of checks and balances in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Luminate has a series of extensive checks and balances in place to detect any fraudulent data from providers to ensure the objectivity of the chart. —Kyle Eustice, VIBE.com, 30 Mar. 2026

And the problem is, Republicans in Congress are refusing on any of these issues to provide meaningful checks and balances. —NBC news, 29 Mar. 2026

In layering on Robby’s aggression without the checks and balances of other characters’ responses to it, The Pitt is in danger of making his point of view its point of view. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026

Trump’s refusal to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, his failure to learn from past administrations about foreign policy strategy, and his disregard for constitutional checks and balances all reflect his own profound gaps in understanding. —Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for checks and balances

• counterbalances
• imbalances

Kids Definition

checks and balances

plural noun

: a system that allows each branch of a government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from having too much power

Legal Definition

checks and balances

noun plural

checks and bal·​anc·​es

-ˈba-lən-səz

: the powers (as judicial review, the presidential veto, and the congressional override) conferred on each of the three branches of government by which each restrains the others from exerting too much power see also separation of powers