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.
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We’ve been very transparent and proactive with members of Congress and with the state attorneys general and the federal authorities.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
That’s nearly as large as the $31 trillion of all publicly held federal debt, Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the Cato Institute, told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
He went on to dissolve the EPRDF, of which he was a part, and replace it with his Prosperity Party, a more centralised and less federal form of governing.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The scientific community in Boulder, a city with a vibrant outdoors culture and trendy restaurants, largely depends on federal subsidies.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 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
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.
