federalism
noun
fed·er·al·ism
ˈfe-d(ə-)rə-ˌli-zəm 
1
a
often capitalized
: the distribution of power in an organization (such as a government) between a central authority and the constituent (see constituent entry 2 sense 1) units
under our system of federalism, states bear the primary responsibility for defining and controlling criminal behavior—
W. R. LaFave & J. R. Israel
compare centralism
W. R. LaFave & J. R. Israel
b
: support or advocacy of this principle
2
capitalized
: Federalist principles
Examples of federalism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Germany’s state leaders are quite powerful in their own right and have considerable autonomy, in a similar system to US federalism.
—Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Like it or not, the federal government does not have all that much influence over housing policy in the United States thanks to the Tenth Amendment and federalism in general.
—Roger Valdez, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Many in the resistance have committed to the idea of a federal state—though agreement on the specifics of that vision of federalism remains wanting.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Their departure signals a new role for Polish… Federalism and Its Discontents
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has recently become a hotbed for discussions of federalism.
—Annabelle Chapman, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for federalism 
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.
Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Like it or not, the federal government does not have all that much influence over housing policy in the United States thanks to the Tenth Amendment and federalism in general.
—Roger Valdez, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Many in the resistance have committed to the idea of a federal state—though agreement on the specifics of that vision of federalism remains wanting.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024
Their departure signals a new role for Polish… Federalism and Its Discontents
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has recently become a hotbed for discussions of federalism.
—Annabelle Chapman, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for federalism
Articles Related to federalism
Dictionary Entries Near federalism
Cite this Entry
“Federalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/federalism. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
federalism
noun
fed·er·al·ism
ˈfe-drə-ˌli-zəm, ˈfe-də-rə-
often capitalized
: distribution of power in a federation between the central authority and the constituent units (as states) involving especially the allocation of significant lawmaking powers to those constituent units compare comity, full faith and credit, states' rights
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share