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federal law

American  
[fed-er-uhl law] / ˈfɛd ər əl ˈlɔ /

noun

  1. a law or body of laws passed by the central government of the United States or of any other country comprising states, provinces, or other quasi-autonomous units.

    This act to protect migratory birds is a federal law enforcing an international agreement to which the United States is a party.

    She is an expert on federal law.


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:

Under US federal law, it is illegal to give payments that are intended to influence the way a person is voting.

From BBC Sep. 10, 2026

And it was then too late to make any changes, because federal law prohibits anyone from being named as primary beneficiary without the spouse’s consent.

From MarketWatch Sep. 10, 2026

While federal law doesn’t bar prepayment requests for nonemergency services, some states are enacting laws to address aspects of the trend.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 6, 2026

Her attorney has emphasized that the investigation did not conclude Chavez-DeRemer violated federal law.

From Salon Sep. 5, 2026

Langley Air Force Base and Fort Monroe moved forward to integrate the housing and the schools on their bases; as federal outposts, they were bound to comply with federal law.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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