federal case

noun

: big deal
don't make a federal case out of it

Examples of federal case in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In a separate federal case, Steel Building Systems’ insurance provider sued to avoid covering its client’s potential liability in the hangar collapse lawsuit brought by the two workers’ families. Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 30 Dec. 2025 Joining in on federal cases Toney criticized Kaul's involvement in multi-state lawsuits. Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 29 Dec. 2025 What prosecutors allege in the federal case Cherfilus-McCormick's attorney, David Oscar Markus, pushed back strongly on the case, saying the allegations amount to administrative errors that typically would not be charged as felonies. Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2025 The new defense filing in the federal case used some of the testimony from that suppression hearing to argue the evidence should also be excluded from Mangione’s federal case. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 20 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for federal case

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of federal case was in 1950

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Cite this Entry

“Federal case.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/federal%20case. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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