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

His downfall should burst the bubble of those on the right who think the path to permanent power is to mimic reactionary politics that despise checks and balances, individual rights, and economic freedom. —The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 13 Apr. 2026

The department is improving those safeguards by ensuring hospice claims are paid only when the proper documentation is provided, establishing a faster and more secure online process and developing stronger checks and balances to weed out fake and stolen identities earlier, Johnson said. —Jason Henry, Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026

House Speaker Matt Ritter said the bill would put more checks and balances in place. —Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026

The second is to build in checks and balances from the outset. —Francesca Cassidy, Fortune, 7 Apr. 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