1
as in confederacies
an association of persons, parties, or states for mutual assistance and protection
the smaller nations were forced to form a confederation out of self-defense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in associations
the state of having shared interests or efforts (as in social or business matters)
the big-budget movie was produced by the studio in confederation with another in order to lower the risk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 confederations
Larger confederations tend to get more representation across the board.
—
ABC News,
20 June 2026
And day three taught us that the gaps between soccer’s confederations could be narrowing.
—
Duncan Alexander,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
Chosen from all six confederations and across 50 FIFA member associations, the 170-strong refereeing contingent – featuring six women – is the largest roster of officials in tournament history.
—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Blatter often had to yield to lesser chiefs, such as the heads of the continental confederations, in order to maintain his grip on power.
—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
The pattern had jumped continents and confederations.
—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
Concacaf is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations, covering soccer teams from Canada up north to Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana in the south.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
The intercontinental playoff features six teams from five different confederations (AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL and OFC) with two spots up for grabs.
—
José Sánchez Córdova,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Mar. 2026
There can be only up to two European teams per group and only one team per group from each of the remaining five continental confederations under FIFA.
—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
5 Dec. 2025
ABC News,
20 June 2026
And day three taught us that the gaps between soccer’s confederations could be narrowing.
—
Duncan Alexander,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
Chosen from all six confederations and across 50 FIFA member associations, the 170-strong refereeing contingent – featuring six women – is the largest roster of officials in tournament history.
—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Blatter often had to yield to lesser chiefs, such as the heads of the continental confederations, in order to maintain his grip on power.
—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
The pattern had jumped continents and confederations.
—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
Concacaf is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations, covering soccer teams from Canada up north to Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana in the south.
—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
The intercontinental playoff features six teams from five different confederations (AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL and OFC) with two spots up for grabs.
—
José Sánchez Córdova,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Mar. 2026
There can be only up to two European teams per group and only one team per group from each of the remaining five continental confederations under FIFA.
—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
5 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confederations
Noun
-
The soccer federations of both teams have since complained about the plans, but local organizer Seattle World Cup 26 (SeattleFWC26) has said the celebrations will still go ahead.
-
Phil McCartney, chief innovation, design and product officer for Nike, said the company worked with athletes, coaches and football federations to understand how uniforms affect the game.
Noun
-
The grapegrower and winemaker associations argue that bulk wine imports have increased in recent years, hurting the local wine industry.
-
More than a dozen national and international journalism associations wrote a joint letter calling on the government to withdraw its case after the men's convictions were upheld by a lower court of appeal in March.
Noun
-
Grassroots coalitions have pushed for limits in California and nationwide as parents have become alarmed over how digital activities are replacing hands-on learning and peer interaction.
-
But the town hall discussions, community coalitions, public petitions and even farmers’ unions reflect American democracy at work.
Noun
-
Rivals with open-platform approaches have to lean into lower price points or less profitable third-party partnerships to offer the same suite of services.
-
The pure-hearted chaos of the early seasons now threatens to be leeched by influencers and microcelebrities hunting for brand partnerships and appearances on a variety of spinoff dating shows.
Noun
-
Asia’s defense expansion reflects a structural shift in global security and industrial capacity, shaped by geopolitics, technology, and evolving alliances.
-
As Miranda works to protect the magazine's influence, old alliances and rivalries are tested, putting Andy in the middle of another complicated chapter in her career.
Noun
-
Uber argued that the attorneys were trying to line their pockets by forcing car-accident victims into predatory relationships with medical providers, while the attorneys accused the rideshare giant of trying to escape accountability by rewriting civil liability laws.
-
And many of the gay bar owners have good relationships with each other.
Noun
-
The ratification ends this year’s round of negotiations with the above-the-line unions — the DGA, the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA — all of which reached agreements well before their contracts expired, and without the threat of a strike.
-
Volkswagen agreed a deal with unions in late 2024 to avoid factory closures in Germany and rule out compulsory redundancies until the end of 2030.
Noun
-
That includes several collaborations with the Wayans brothers, among them White Chicks and Little Man.
-
According to market research firm Meltwater, in the ramp-up to the World Cup, non-sponsor brand collaborations generated nearly double the engagement of official sponsors, reaching roughly 61 million engagements versus just 33 million.
Cite this Entry
“Confederations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confederations. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
