Meaning & use
federalism
A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent regions or states.
See it in a sentence
American federalism gives individual states authority over many local matters.
The new constitution introduced federalism to balance regional and national interests.
A note on using this word
Federalism contrasts with a unitary system, where a single central government holds most of the power.
Words with a similar meaning
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Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
centralism
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