federal
adjective
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
federal
American
[fed-er-uhl]
/ ˈfɛd ər əl /
adjective
-
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.
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(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.
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of or relating to a compact or a league, especially a league between nations or states.
noun
-
an advocate of federation or federalism.
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(initial capital letter)
-
a Federalist.
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an adherent of the Union government during the Civil War; Unionist.
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a soldier in the Federal army.
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Federal
1
British
/ ˈfɛdərəl /
adjective
noun
federal
2
British
/ ˈfɛdərəl /
adjective
-
of or relating to a form of government or a country in which power is divided between one central and several regional governments
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of or relating to a treaty between provinces, states, etc, that establishes a political unit in which power is so divided
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of or relating to the central government of a federation
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of or relating to any union or association of parties or groups that retain some autonomy
-
(of a university) comprised of relatively independent colleges
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of federal
First recorded in 16205–30; earlier foederal, from Latin foeder- (stem of foedus ) “formal agreement, treaty, league” + -al 1
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing federal
February Vocabulary Words
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On Thursday the U.S. president said he is changing the name of Lake Ontario in federal records to Lake America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Around $20 billion in insurance investments at Walter’s companies are under scrutiny in a federal investigation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
It is common practice for the state to consider aligning its tax code with the federal structure to make filing taxes easier and administering them more cheaply.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Far-right activist Laura Loomer, who has feuded publicly with Yiannopoulos, celebrated his detention and claimed credit for alerting federal authorities to his immigration status in multiple posts on X.
From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026
In effect, the political institutions and the very authority of the federal government were too new and ill-formed to cope effectively with the foreign and domestic challenges facing the new nation.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Federal law prohibits the FCC from censoring broadcasters, and the First Amendment sharply limits the government’s ability to punish news organizations for their editorial decisions.
From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026
Federal authorities are continuing to expand their crackdown on trading conduct in prediction markets, which offer a way for users to bet on political races, sports, corporate performance and crypto and commodity prices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole speech left little doubt that the Fed is prepared to lift interest rates if necessary.
From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026
The drones are authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration and travel at altitudes between 250 and 400 feet, Robertson said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
He couldn’t afford rent, so he slept most nights on a bench on Federal Hill in downtown Baltimore, or on the steps of a church across the street from his father’s house.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
