FEDERAL Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

federal 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of federal

as in national

of or relating to a federation or to its central government A federal system of government distributes power between a country's central and regional governments. The President, Congress, and the Supreme Court are all part of the federal government of the United States.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Federal

2 of 2

noun

as in fed

Related Words

as in Confederate

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

civilian

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of federal

Adjective

The bill only applies to federal elections and the recourse for fraudulent political AI ads would be to file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission. — Grace Hase, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026 Last month, a federal appeals court struck down Florida’s Stop WOKE Act as applied to colleges and universities. — David Wippman, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026 Prior to Friday, Mangione, 28, had pleaded not guilty to all state and federal charges against him. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026 Nationally, as of Monday, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had reported 13,895 cases of the illness since May 1, resulting in 740 hospitalizations, although the agency notes state counts may exceed its own numbers. — Nathan Ansell, Arkansas Online, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for federal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for federal

Adjective

Neither candidate is captive to the extremes that have hijacked so much of our national discourse.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
After overlapping with Fingall for one season, Prechtel helped the Cardinal win the 2021 national title.

— Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of national

Noun

No one was giving the G-men an iota of a chance, but thanks to a brilliant game by New York's front four, the Patriots were clinging to just a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 May 2026
Jessica Hecht, playing one of the hostages, adds her typically off-beat depth, and I was most amused by John Ortiz as the FBI agent with the standard G-man voice and personality to match.

— Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of G-man

Noun

He was drafted at 18 and, after the war, pursued singing at the American Theatre Wing—an education funded by the GI Bill.

— Eleni N. Gage, Architectural Digest, 3 Aug. 2026
Ranking fourth best in the country were Northwestern’s gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics, and pulmonary and lung surgery programs.

— Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of GI

Adjective

Any restrictions on that right, the complaint said, has to serve a compelling governmental interest to be constitutional.

— BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
In Haiti, Liberia, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and South Sudan, regional bodies helped stave off governmental collapse.

— Eghosa E. Osaghae, Foreign Affairs, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of governmental

Noun

The team's 33-15 loss gave it a 2-11 record, which is the worst nark in the NFC.

— Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
The software, which would effectively act like a narc embedded on people’s iPhones, could have unintended consequences, critics said, despite Apple’s assurances that it would be used solely to stop child predators.

— Declan Harty, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2021

Definition of narc

Noun

This imaging test uses a tracer that attaches to PSMA proteins, allowing doctors to identify where prostate cancer cells may be located throughout the body.

— Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 15 June 2026
Many health care workers served longer, harder deployments than mine — Sierra Leonean nurses, Guinean contact tracers, Liberian community health workers — and carried equal or greater burdens, yet Americans rarely heard their stories.

— Krutika Kuppalli, STAT, 20 May 2026

Definition of tracer

Noun

Less than a month later, plainclothesmen arrested Nassar at a local tire store, and Munford took him into custody.

— Jason Schmidt, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2018
Hustling bucks and ducking the Third Division boys, those earnest young plainclothesmen assigned to the vice squad who work out of the 17th Precinct on the East Side.

— Gail Sheehy, Daily Intelligencer, 9 Sep. 2017

Definition of plainclothesman

Noun

Among the adventures, are hide-and-seek with Pooh, help Eeyore search for his missing tail, and encourage Piglet to find courage.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Its bright red star Antares marks the heart of the scorpion, with a curving tail extending downward toward the horizon.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of tail

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federal

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Style

“Federal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/federal. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of federal

adjective

noun

Example Sentences

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