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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in nark
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in Confederate
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 federal
Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that delivers about 250 million meals each year to more than 2 million seniors, receives federal grant funding.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025
Biden’s move now is less challenging because the next major federal election is two years away, when the midterm House and Senate races could decide control of the legislative bodies where margins are currently slim.
—Jason M. Blazakis, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
Each choice carries political and operational risks, particularly in the polarized environment surrounding federal governance.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for federal 
Adjective
The federal office has the power to rename geographic places within the United States.
—Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit organization that delivers about 250 million meals each year to more than 2 million seniors, receives federal grant funding.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025
Biden’s move now is less challenging because the next major federal election is two years away, when the midterm House and Senate races could decide control of the legislative bodies where margins are currently slim.
—Jason M. Blazakis, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
Each choice carries political and operational risks, particularly in the polarized environment surrounding federal governance.
—Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for federal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for federal
Adjective
-
Janelle Griffith Janelle Griffith is a national reporter for NBC News focusing on issues of race and policing.—
Janelle Griffith,
NBC News,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Isabelle Taft is a reporter covering national news and a member of the 2024-25 Times Fellowship class, a program for journalists early in their career.—
Isabelle Taft,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Cameron directed Arnold Schwarzenegger in this influential action pic about a family man who also happens to be a G-man.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
6 Dec. 2024
-
For more than forty years, Hoover’s G-men devoted hundreds of thousands of man hours to the threat that was Paul Robeson: debriefing informants, wiretapping phone conversations, and monitoring rallies, concerts, and plays.—
Thomas Doherty,
The Hollywood Reporter,
12 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
This means that compared to other breads, sourdough is low on the glycemic index (GI), a classification system that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods on a scale of 0-100 according to their impact on blood sugar levels.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
28 Jan. 2025
-
For instance, individuals with certain gastrointestinal (GI) conditions may find white bread easier to digest.2 How Do the Bread Types Differ?—
Sarah Jividen,
Verywell Health,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
You’re automatically dubbed a narc, a kiss-ass, a too-cool.—
Brandi California,
SPIN,
1 July 2024
-
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
Noun
-
After introducing the tracers at specific locations, the study area is periodically sampled to detect and quantify the tracers' distribution, providing insights into sediment movement over time.—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
30 Dec. 2024
-
This tracer can only be identified by Birla’s advanced laboratories in India and China, effectively eliminating the possibility of counterfeit certifications.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Nov. 2024
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
Noun
-
What went wrong: With football being the tail that wags the dog of collegiate sports, 10 of the remaining Pac-12 schools (USC and UCLA had already announced their departure) pulled out of the conference a year and a half ago.—
Jerry McDonald,
The Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2025
-
Camouflaged among desert rocks, the deadly illusionist extends its spider-like tail into the open and twitches it to summon hungry insect-eating birds.—
Ryley Graham,
Smithsonian Magazine,
29 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Eleven fire departments from surrounding regions responded to the blaze, which investigators determined was arson, according to the sheriff’s office.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Kansas City Star,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The informant told investigators Melo planned to smuggle drugs onto the cruise.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near federal
Cite this Entry
“Federal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/federal. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share