federalize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bring under the control of a federal government.
to federalize the National Guard.
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to bring together in a federal union, as different states.
verb
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to unite in a federation or federal union; federate
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to subject to federal control
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of federalize
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:
Court of Appeals’ Ninth Circuit, challenges PHMSA’s attempt to federalize oversight of the onshore pipelines and its recent approval of Sable’s restart plan.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2026
Now that might not be an option, after the Supreme Court in December ruled against his effort to federalize the Guard in Illinois.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
A key provision of the act allows the president to federalize the Guard when he deems it necessary “to enforce the laws of the United States” in the face of “unlawful obstructions” or “rebellion.”
From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2025
He instead evoked a very rarely used law that was last applied in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson to protect civil rights workers from local police, allowing him to federalize those troops.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2025
While the tricolour waved at Amsterdam, Mainz, Berne, Rome, Valetta, and Cairo, Fox thought it opportune to federalize British institutions.
From William Pitt and the Great War by Rose, John Holland
The White House did not respond to questions about whether any current plans exist to redeploy federalized troops to California cities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
After the Los Angeles operation, the administration federalized the Washington, D.C., police department and deployed National Guard members there, too, giving DHS agents room to ramp up their enforcement in the nation’s capital.
From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2026
“Six months after they first federalized the California National Guard, Defendants still retain control of approximately 300 Guardsmen, despite no evidence that execution of federal law is impeded in any way—let alone significantly,” Breyer wrote.
From Salon ● Dec. 10, 2025
The appellate judges said they were guided by a precedent set in the 9th Circuit this summer, when California tried and failed to wrest back control of federalized soldiers in and around Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2025
An article in the newspaper announced that hall patrols by federalized National Guardsmen would be eliminated, although they would remain in the building and make periodic checks.
From "Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High" by Melba Pattillo Beals
"When they first brought these cases, the criticism was they were federalizing state law," Lev said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 5, 2018
He said, “I think you can be against something and still say, ‘but I don’t want the federal government involved in federalizing something.’”
From Washington Times ● Feb. 23, 2016
However, Grassley was clear in saying he had no interest in federalizing local law enforcement or in second-guessing the actions of officers or agencies.
From US News ● May 5, 2015
It’s not clear, however, what precise impact federalizing the issue could have.
From Slate ● May 4, 2012
Three days later President Eisenhower trumped the state, federalizing the states guard and sending in US Army troops to escort the nine through the school’s doors.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
