pertaining to or of the nature of a union of states under a central government distinct from the individual governments of the separate states, as in
of, relating to, or noting such a central government.
federal offices.
(initial capital letter)
of or relating to the Federalists or to the Federalist party.
supporting the principles of the Federalist party.
(in the Civil War) pertaining to or supporting the Union government.
relating to or adhering to the support of the Constitution.
(initial capital letter) pertaining to or designating the styles of the decorative arts and architecture current in the U.S. from about 1780 to about 1830.
of or relating to a compact or a league, especially a league between nations or states.
an advocate of federation or federalism.
(initial capital letter)
a Federalist.
an adherent of the Union government during the Civil War; Unionist.
a soldier in the Federal army.
of or relating to a form of government or a country in which power is divided between one central and several regional governments
of or relating to a treaty between provinces, states, etc, that establishes a political unit in which power is so divided
of or relating to the central government of a federation
of or relating to any union or association of parties or groups that retain some autonomy
(of a university) comprised of relatively independent colleges
First recorded in 16205–30; earlier foederal, from Latin foeder- (stem of foedus ) “formal agreement, treaty, league” + -al 1
Federal refers to the national government. The voting age is determined by the federal government while the driving age is decided on a state by state basis. Before the Constitution was ratified, the United States was a loose confederation of states, with no real federal government. The Constitution created a stronger federal government but to this day, there is a conflict between those who want power to go to the states and those who support federal control. States don't seem to mind federal subsidies though.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The federal government has sanctioned several highways, power projects and military-related infrastructure in Ladakh, which Wangchuk says will harm the region, especially in the absence of consultation with local representatives.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
A federal hiring freeze last year forced the agency to scale back the number of workers who check prices in stores nationwide for the CPI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
According to federal prison records, his projected release date is Feb. 23, 2028, after receiving credit for time already served and other applicable adjustments.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Aaron, the court described the federal judiciary’s “supreme” position “in the exposition of the law of the Constitution” as a “permanent and indispensable feature” of American governance.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
“You can borrow the rest from the federal government,” he said, handing me a National Defense Student Loan application.
From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez
Federal data released on June 26, 2026, shows that marketplace enrollment fell from 21.8 million people in February 2025 to 19.2 million in February 2026, a decline of about 2.6 million people, or 12%.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
In the U.S., incidents have more than doubled since 2019, according to Federal Aviation Administration data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Over the past several years, Wall Street and Washington, D.C., have grown used to being able to reliably predict what the Federal Reserve would do at its interest-rate meeting, weeks before the gathering took place.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026
Rodrigo Leite of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro told AFP that public figures held more sway than traditional commercials, and that Brazilians needed better financial education.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Federal Reserve took the shocking and unprecedented step of buying bad subprime mortgage bonds directly from the banks.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
