federation
noun
the act of federating or uniting in a league.
Jump To:
-
federation
-
Federation
Federationnounthe federation of the Australian colonies in 1901
federation
American
[fed-uh-ray-shuhn]
/ ˌfɛd əˈreɪ ʃən /
noun
-
federations
plural
-
the act of federating or uniting in a league.
-
the formation of a political unity, with a central government, by a number of separate states, each of which retains control of its own internal affairs.
-
a league or confederacy.
-
a federated body formed by a number of nations, states, societies, unions, etc., each retaining control of its own internal affairs.
federation
1
British
/ ˌfɛdəˈreɪʃən /
noun
-
the act of federating
-
the union of several provinces, states, etc, to form a federal union
-
a political unit formed in such a way
-
any league, alliance, or confederacy
-
a union of several parties, groups, etc
-
any association or union for common action
Federation
2
British
/ ˌfɛdəˈreɪʃən /
noun
-
the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901
-
a style of domestic architecture of that period, characterized by red brick, terracotta roof tiles, sinuous curves, and heavy window frames
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of federation
1715–25; < Late Latin foederātiōn- (stem of foederātiō ) a leaguing. See federate, -ion
Explanation
A federation is an organization made up of smaller groups, parties, or states. The United States is a federation; the states all fall under the same federal government. The word federation may be most familiar as part of the name of an organization — for example, the International Tennis Federation, the American Advertising Federation, or the National Wild Turkey Federation. If you follow World Cup soccer, you may be interested to learn that the acronym FIFA stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Although the groups within a federation are united around a common goal or ideology, they usually like to keep some control at the local level as well.
Vocabulary lists containing federation
Working Together: The Language of Unions
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!
Olympics Vocabulary for Champions
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!
Russia - Introductory
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!
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:
Her organization launched in 2024 as a federation of local tenant unions across the country.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Soccer’s much ballyhooed “golden generation,” it was a performance that hardly shone and a sign that whatever progress the federation has made over the past two decades hasn’t gone as far as hoped.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Yet "cattle producers still face substantial uncertainty that clouds herd rebuilding decisions," Bernt Nelson, an economist at the federation wrote.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
The federation confirmed he was suspended from his role "due to an ongoing police investigation" in a statement issued days after the arrests.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Lawrence replied that “the idea of a federation of democracies may have much practical merit, but... I would not think of using my position as a scientist in furthering such a political movement.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Patrick Graff of the American Federation for Children says this could add $75 billion to the $188 billion he estimates could be donated nationally at $1,700 if everyone gave their full credit-eligible amount.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
"The next international window in November is fast approaching," Burkinabe Football Federation official Ibrahim Dianda warned on Facebook.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation says “every cent per gallon matters” when you run a fleet of grain trucks.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026
BBC Sport has approached the Portuguese Football Federation for comment.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
Meanwhile, Infantino has spent recent days reposting new letters on his Instagram from federations doubling down on their support for him, including Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, the U.A.E.,
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Sign on, the federations were told, and you’ll get $20 million.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
For that to happen, the criticism from federations across the world must continue.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
"Infantino threatened to slash members' earnings if they did not back him," the paper reports, "but federations in Asia and Americas are also opposed to sell-off".
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Eventually, internecine warfare erupted between the United States and Soviet Chess federations and FIDE.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
