federal 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of federalnext
as in national
of or relating to a federation or to its central government A federal system of government distributes power between a country's central and regional governments. The President, Congress, and the Supreme Court are all part of the federal government of the United States.

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Federal

2 of 2

noun

1
as in fed

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2
as in Confederate

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of federal
Adjective
At Stanford, Warsh brushed shoulders with the likes of Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman and four-time federal cabinet member George Shultz. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 July 2026 Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who voted against the proposal in mid-June, voiced fears that the list of noncitizen voters would immediately be seized by federal immigration authorities. — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 Attorneys Abigail Becker and Victor Van Dyke, with the Federal Public Defender’s Office, convinced the jury Yener was entrapped by federal agents. — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 The June 18 appeals court ruling stems from a January federal lawsuit filed by the city of Philadelphia against the Interior Department and National Park Service, seeking to preserve the slavery memorial. — Deena Zaru, ABC News, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for federal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for federal
  1. national
  2. G-man
  3. GI
  4. governmental
  5. narc
  6. tracer
  7. plainclothesman
  8. tail
Adjective
  • The United States men’s national soccer team is heading to the Round of 16, defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2-0, on Wednesday night in Santa Clara, California.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Pyrotecnico, a national fireworks and drones display business, is in charge of the spectacle.
    — Staff report, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of national
Noun
  • Now the G-men head down there to collar Massachusetts cops — sheriffs and crooked state troopers.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025
  • Exactly what will happen to DC’s most polarizing building after the G-men move out is still not clear, although President Trump has suggested the FBI will eventually return.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
Definition of G-man
Noun
  • Most side effects reported with magnesium are gastrointestinal (GI), including nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
    — Kirstyn Hill, Health, 1 July 2026
  • Each sold for about $7,000, roughly $105,000 today, with no down payment required under the GI Bill.
    — Jonathan Tower, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of GI
Adjective
  • In the years since, a plethora of local, state and federal governmental actions have elevated the protection of marine mammals in the cove.
    — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2026
  • Strategic partnerships also create room for conversation and open dialogue that is not possible solely through the lens of governmental and social diplomacy.
    — Stewart McLaurin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of governmental
Noun
  • The team's 33-15 loss gave it a 2-11 record, which is the worst nark in the NFC.
    — Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
  • The software, which would effectively act like a narc embedded on people’s iPhones, could have unintended consequences, critics said, despite Apple’s assurances that it would be used solely to stop child predators.
    — Declan Harty, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2021
Definition of narc
Noun
  • This imaging test uses a tracer that attaches to PSMA proteins, allowing doctors to identify where prostate cancer cells may be located throughout the body.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 15 June 2026
  • Many health care workers served longer, harder deployments than mine — Sierra Leonean nurses, Guinean contact tracers, Liberian community health workers — and carried equal or greater burdens, yet Americans rarely heard their stories.
    — Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 20 May 2026
Definition of tracer
Noun
  • Less than a month later, plainclothesmen arrested Nassar at a local tire store, and Munford took him into custody.
    — Jason Schmidt, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2018
  • Hustling bucks and ducking the Third Division boys, those earnest young plainclothesmen assigned to the vice squad who work out of the 17th Precinct on the East Side.
    — Gail Sheehy, Daily Intelligencer, 9 Sep. 2017
Definition of plainclothesman
Noun
  • The life-size robotic elephants in Prasanth Prakashan's backyard workshop have ears that flap, tails that swish and trunks that squirt water.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • Some common options for hanging pots include succulents like burro's tail or string of pearls, trailing lantana, and trailing verbena.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of tail

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Cite this Entry

“Federal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/federal. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of federal for Spanish Speakers

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