checks and balances

American  

[cheks uhn bal-uhn-siz] / ˈtʃɛks ən ˈbæl ən sɪz /

plural noun

1. limits imposed on all branches of a government by vesting in each branch the right to amend or void those acts of another that fall within its purview.

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checks and balances British  

plural noun

1. government competition and mutual restraint among the various branches of government

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checks and balances Idioms  

1. System whereby each branch of an organization can limit the powers of the other branches, as in The union has used a system of checks and balances to prevent any large local from dominating its policies. This system was enacted through the Constitution of the United States in order to prevent any of its three branches from dominating the Federal government. The term is occasionally transferred to other mechanisms for balancing power.

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Usage

What does checks and balances mean? Checks and balances refers to a system of power that is divided into parts or branches. Each branch can stop or limit the powers of the others. Checks and balances are frequently used in governments, especially national governments. A system of checks and balances is fundamental to the United States’s federal government. The first three articles of the U. S. Constitution establish this system. The checks and balances ensure no one person or group has all the political power and can’t unjustly enforce their will on the nation’s citizens. The system is also intended to encourage cooperation, compromise, and debate between the branches of government. America’s system of government is divided into the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch. Each branch has ways it can limit the power of the others. Checks and balances exist at every level  of American government (federal, state, and sometimes local). At the federal level, the legislative branch is Congress, the judicial branch is the federal court system (at the top of which is the Supreme Court), and the executive branch is led by the president. Creating laws is one way the U. S. uses checks and balances. Congress suggests a law in a bill. When it has enough votes, the bill goes to the president, who can accept or reject (veto) it. If the president vetoes a bill, it goes back to Congress. Congress can make changes or vote on it again. If two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives (the two parts of Congress) approve it, the bill becomes a law. However, the Supreme Court can rule a law unconstitutional, which means it is no longer a law.

Etymology

Origin of checks and balances

First recorded in 1780–90

Compare meaning

How does checks-and-balances compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• separation of powers vs. checks and balances

Example Sentences

And redesigning a process with AI requires establishing entirely new checks and balances to ensure the effort doesn’t inadvertently skew key performance indicators or lead to unintended outcomes, Lavu said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Realizing that they’re headed to the slaughterhouse, the animals rebel against the humans, save themselves, and reinhabit the farm, establishing their own system of checks and balances to ensure their survival.

From Salon • May 3, 2026

When it came to reminding the US of the checks and balances in government, the King chose his words carefully.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

“Nor would our system of checks and balances permit him to do so.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

It was maddening for a police officer, but he admitted that this element of checks and balances would have been useful in this case.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers