checks and balances

plural noun

|Updated on: 21 Jun 2018

Definition of checks and balances

: 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 exerting too much power

Recent Examples of checks and balances from the Web

Part of that is like having some metrics, and checks and balances.

— recode staff, Recode, "Full video and transcript: Momofuku chef David Chang at Code 2018," 9 June 2018
First, the Middle Man happens to believe government functions best when there's strong representation on both sides and thus checks and balances in place.

— jason williams, Cincinnati.com, "PX column: Petty GOP fight costs Ohioans, but no real consequences for Republicans," 5 June 2018
There is no set of checks and balances to ensure a fair interview, no guarantee that any of the minority candidates will be offered a job, and there’s only a relatively small punishment for transgressions.

— harry lyles jr., The Verge, "The NFL’s Rooney Rule won’t solve tech’s diversity problem," 5 June 2018
The exuberance was short-lived, however, amid concerns about an overheating economy, Turkey’s vulnerability to higher global interest rates, and the quality of economic policy under an executive presidency with few checks and balances.

— Bloomberg.com, "How Erdogan Made Turkey's Next Election Like No Other," 2 May 2018
The system created by the Founding Fathers—regular elections, checks and balances, an independent judiciary—has held up.

— joe lieberman, WSJ, "A Holiday for the Rule of Law," 17 May 2018
Moore has been holding meetings bi-weekly meetings of a financial controls task force to come up with checks and balances for the nonprofit’s financial processes, DeBerry said.

— richard webner, San Antonio Express-News, "Husband of alleged Centro embezzler accuses her of fraud in divorce filing," 8 May 2018
An alliance of opposition parties, who argue the new system will lead to one-man rule, have vowed a return to a parliamentary system with strong checks and balances.

— Washington Post, "In election manifesto, Erdogan vows new military campaigns," 6 May 2018
Congress established three co-equal branches of government for a reason: checks and balances.

— dave bangert, Indianapolis Star, "Indiana Primary 2018: 4th District candidates discuss Trump, other priorities in Q&A," 4 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'checks and balances.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of checks and balances

1787

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

CHECKS AND BALANCES Defined for English Language Learners

checks and balances

noun

Definition of checks and balances for English Language Learners

: a system in which the different parts of an organization (such as a government) have powers that affect and control the other parts so that no part can become too powerful

Law Dictionary

checks and balances

noun plural checks and bal·anc·es \ -ˈba-lən-səz \

legal Definition of checks and balances

: 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