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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as in Confederate
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Recent Examples of federal
Ct Mirror, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
But lately, student walkouts have been taking hold in a number of communities in and around Chicago after ICE involvement in Minneapolis has garnered national attention, especially following the recent deaths of two American citizens who were shot and killed by federal immigration officers.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
While state leaders say Florida can temporarily absorb the expense, no public document guarantees when or how much federal money will flow back to the state.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
However, as the NIH notes, the National Institute of Drug Abuse is one of several of the federal agency’s partners that also supports research into whether or not psilocybin could potentially work to treat substance abuse as well as mental health issues.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for federal
Adjective
Lesser said the administration also threatened to cut them off from federal child support payments totaling about $63 million.
—Ct Mirror, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
But lately, student walkouts have been taking hold in a number of communities in and around Chicago after ICE involvement in Minneapolis has garnered national attention, especially following the recent deaths of two American citizens who were shot and killed by federal immigration officers.
—Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
While state leaders say Florida can temporarily absorb the expense, no public document guarantees when or how much federal money will flow back to the state.
—Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
However, as the NIH notes, the National Institute of Drug Abuse is one of several of the federal agency’s partners that also supports research into whether or not psilocybin could potentially work to treat substance abuse as well as mental health issues.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 27 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for federal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for federal
Adjective
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White previously served as national executive director and chief negotiator of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA).—
Mike Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Batson has pulled in record philanthropic donations, including $50 million from Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank for a new national training center in Atlanta, and $30 million from Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang for women’s and girls’ programs.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These failures help contribute to the lack of confidence Americans in general have in Democrats’ ability to run things — their governmental competence.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Global Affairs Canada, a governmental office, has said Canada is Cuba’s second-largest source of direct investment to the island, particularly in the mining and tourism sectors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Now the G-men head down there to collar Massachusetts cops — sheriffs and crooked state troopers.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
10 Aug. 2025
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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
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
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You’re automatically dubbed a narc, a kiss-ass, a too-cool.—
Brandi California,
SPIN,
1 July 2024
Noun
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In other words, if your body is working hard to break down a meal before bed, Sarkar points out that food and subsequent digestion can lead to gut motility (food moving through the GI tract) and insulin secretion—both of which can mess with your sleep.—
Julia Sullivan,
Outside,
24 Feb. 2026
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Steel-cut oats also have a low glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
To study crowding in cells, biologists needed a proxy molecule in the same size range — a tracer roughly as large as the large molecules involved in most cellular reactions.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
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The PET scan uses a radioactive drug called a tracer to show both typical and atypical metabolic activity, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Once stationary, turn off all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Feb. 2026
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As a result, the trailer's tail lights and turn signals won't turn on, and the brake function could stop working, the automaker said in a statement.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Federal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/federal. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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