federal

5 definitions • 13 examples

relating to the central government, and not to the government of a region, of some countries such as the US:

the federal government

a federal agency/employee

A federal system of government consists of a group of regions that are controlled by a central government.

of or connected with the central government of some countries:

the federal government

Federal law regulates trade with other countries.

relating to a central government, not a state or local government:

The state contributes 30% and the federal government 70% of the cost of the plan.

She was charged in federal court with possessing unauthorized credit-card numbers.

The employee then contacted federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services.

He helped secure $100 million in federal funding to rebuild the department's infrastructure.

A proposed Senate bill would raise the federal tax on cigarettes by 61 cents per pack.

federal laws/regulations/legislation

federal grants

having or relating to a system of government, especially in the US, where all the states in the country have some control over their own activities, but where central government has the main responsibility for making important decisions and laws:

They have been in government for 45 of the 51 years of the German federal republic.

Many Americans will protest that such local variation lies at the heart of a federal system.