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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Dissimilar Words
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as in Confederate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of federal
Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The last stop on the pilgrimage was on Nicollet where federal agents killed Alex Pretti.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
The new Arts of Africa galleries are being funded by the City of New York and federal grants, with additional support from the Ford Foundation, the Sills Family Foundation, and individual supporters.
—News Desk, Artforum, 3 Apr. 2026
But the federal bureaucracy is vast, and the White House apparently didn’t catch them all.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for federal
Adjective
The access comes after a federal judge earlier this week allowed clergy members from the Chicago area to minister to migrants in the facility during Holy Week and Easter.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
The last stop on the pilgrimage was on Nicollet where federal agents killed Alex Pretti.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
The new Arts of Africa galleries are being funded by the City of New York and federal grants, with additional support from the Ford Foundation, the Sills Family Foundation, and individual supporters.
—News Desk, Artforum, 3 Apr. 2026
But the federal bureaucracy is vast, and the White House apparently didn’t catch them all.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for federal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for federal
Adjective
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The Union League, in contrast, was for those who could demonstrate their commitment to the national cause, and its clubhouse quickly became a place to get the latest news from the Southern battlefields.—
Michael Gorra,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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It was installed in the left‑field concourse last month, six years after the city of Dallas removed it from Love Field following the 2020 protests and national reckoning over racial injustice.—
Marissa Armas,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Governments can also be classified by mode of succession; for example, ascension to governmental leadership may follow the rules of hereditary succession, or it may be determined through elections or by force.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
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Team officials still are waiting for Illinois lawmakers to approve a proposal that would let the Bears negotiate long-term property tax breaks with local schools and other governmental agencies for a site in Arlington Heights.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
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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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According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, as many as two thirds to three quarters of people with Crohn’s disease will at some point need surgery, which typically includes removing parts of the GI tract.—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
31 Mar. 2026
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Nasaw also explores the social impact of various post-war measures, such as the GI Bill (which provided for educational, health care, disability and loan benefits) and the numerous National Housing Acts.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Aware has been using tracer particles and its blockchain technology for several years now, applying it to recycled cotton, denim and other materials.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Mar. 2026
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In the tense Lebanese capital, Beirut, Israeli surveillance drones buzz overhead while red tracer bullets light up the night skies, fired to warn residents of possible attacks.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 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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By late next week, a small comet, fresh off a harrowingly close encounter with the Sun, could emerge into the evening twilight and become easily visible in the hour after sunset, sporting a thin, straight tail.—
Tony Hoffman,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
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After a few minutes of struggling to unbeach the shark, Phan hoisted the creature by the tail and successfully pushed it into a crashing wave.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Federal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/federal. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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