checks and balances

plural noun

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

Examples of checks and balances in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, Pelosi frames the investigations ahead as Congress exerting its constitutional duty to the necessary checks and balances on the executive that voters want. — Lisa Mascaro, The Seattle Times, "Oversight or overreach? Democrats wrestle with Trump probes," 24 Mar. 2019 Donald Trump may scorn liberal norms, but America’s checks and balances are strong, and will outlast him. — The Economist, "After decades of triumph, democracy is losing ground," 14 June 2018 As investigators comb through county contracts and emails, cleveland.com took a look at how the charter government, with its checks and balances, is supposed to award contracts and purchase goods. — Karen Farkas, cleveland.com, "How does Cuyahoga County award contracts and purchase items?," 19 Mar. 2018 Western officials say systems of checks and balances in their countries allow for companies to challenge those demands, unlike in China. — Josh Chin, WSJ, "U.S. Believes It Doesn’t Need to Show ‘Proof’ Huawei Is a Spy Threat," 23 Jan. 2019 National emergencies are legally defined under the 1976 National Emergencies Act (NEA), which was signed into law by President Gerald Ford to help create a system of checks and balances on the president’s emergency powers. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "Donald Trump Is Threatening to Declare a National Emergency to Get Border Wall Funding. Here's Why He Shouldn’t.," 11 Jan. 2019 This is not a company with rules and checks and balances. — Kejal Vyas, WSJ, "U.S. Considers Harshest Venezuela Sanctions Yet, on Oil," 14 Jan. 2019 Whatever your checks and balances are around delight and deliciousness, be sweet with them, Aquarius. — Bess Matassa, Teen Vogue, "Weekly Horoscopes October 8-14," 8 Oct. 2014 But in the end the legislative branch must enforce its own subpoenas and the justice department must comply with that otherwise our separation of powers and checks and balances is really in trouble. — Fox News, "Meadows, Dershowitz react after Lisa Page defies subpoena," 12 July 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.

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Last Updated

12 Apr 2019

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The first known use of checks and balances was in 1787

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More Definitions for checks and balances

checks and balances

noun

English Language Learners Definition of checks and balances

: 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

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