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
The federal government already buys an enormous amount of food. — David L. Ortega, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026 After four years in the minority, Democrats finally will have the leverage to force Republicans to negotiate rather than dictate the terms of federal spending. — Thomas Kahn, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 American states, cities, and businesses are also expected to show up in force in Antalya, Turkey, the conference’s host city, eager to work with international partners without waiting for federal policy to change. — Laurence Tubiana, Time, 6 Nov. 2026 His itinerary includes a visit to a federal prison in Buenos Aires and a stop at a care center for people with intellectual and physical disabilities in Claypole which has been affected by the Milei cuts. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 6 Nov. 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
  • That could test a board that is short on corporate heavy-hitters — there’s not one sitting CEO on the board other than Huang — or people with deep experience of national security or political crisis management.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Meaningful consequences would give trustees a reason to intervene before the next disinvitation or disciplinary proceeding becomes a national controversy.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of national
Noun
  • Reach uses a crab trap to disarm a G-man brandishing an On the Waterfront–style hook.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Michael Biehn also plays a G-man who keeps tabs on Kammler’s work.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of G-man
Noun
  • In that case, the robot is injected via a vitamin sized capsule and traverses the GI tract (including the small intestine) via a magnetic field.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Citrus Fruits Citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruit, have a low glycemic index (GI).
    — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of GI
Adjective
  • Investigating justified suspicion about noncitizen voting is a legitimate governmental responsibility.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Their two paths to power — which led them on vastly different journeys through different countries, organizations and governmental roles — left them on a collision course to lead Los Angeles.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of governmental
Noun
  • On Uncle, fish narc sheds his past experimental impulses and finds a new identity within ebullient, feel-good college rock.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • He gets dinged for a pesky OWI, loses his job at CBS, and then gets outed by some nark in Oklahoma.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of narc
Noun
  • With funding from the Alzheimer’s Association, the project adopted a new tracer that, in combination with a PET scan, could measure amyloid burdens.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Companies processed heavy mineral sands from Australia, Brazil, and India, and hard rock from South Africa, to produce rare earths for tracer ammunition, steel alloys, cigarette-lighter flints, and, later, color-TV phosphors.
    — Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 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
  • Known for their white feathers, black wing and tail tips and bright blue skin around their eyes, Bali mynas are native to a small region of the Indonesian island of Bali.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The elevator controls the up and down pitch of the aircraft and is located in the aircraft’s tail, Chapman said.
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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