Skip to main content
to federate

to federate

1 7.5
To join states or groups to form one country with a central government
  • verb
  • /ˈfɛdəˌreɪt/
translation icon : federar
  • "We have now an excellent chance to forge and maintain the unity of the country through peaceful democratic dialogue which draws upon our common culture, economic interdependence, and geographical contiguity," he says in explaining the strategy needed for a federated democratic Ethiopia.

Examples

  • And Puntland, which awaits an effective Somali government with which to federate, has become a launching pad for many of the pirate attacks around the vital shipping lane between Djibouti and Yemen.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The goal of the conference was to federate various organizations under a common mission.

  • But would we be able to federate as many countries and users around a new agreement for this toolbox?

    Blog text (8)
  • In 1950, the United Nations voted to federate Eritrea with Ethiopia.

    Academic text (1990)
  • These groups, called cadres, would be federated with nuclei in the factories.

    Blog text (5)
  • A colony for 50 years, federated and unified with Ethiopia, seceded in 1991 after three decades of rebellion.

    Blog text (5)
  • The new treaty aims to federate several smaller nations into a larger political alliance.

  • In 1901, the British colonies in Australia chose to federate and form a single nation.

Synonyms

to unite
vsto federate
2.1

To join people or things into one group for a shared purpose

brings entities together specifically under a central authority, not just general joining
to unify
vsto federate
65 3.7

To bring people or things together into one group

joins states or organizations under a central authority rather than only forming unity
to centralize
vsto federate
  • US
10 5.6

To move work and control into one place or under one leader

unites states or organizations under central rule rather than only relocating power
to federalize
vsto federate
  • US
7 7.5

To put states or groups under a single national government

unites entities under a central authority without only implying federal government control
to amalgamate
vsto federate
  • Formal
4 7.4

To join several groups or parts to make one

unites groups under a central authority while possibly preserving some separate powers

Antonyms

1 7.0

To cause people or groups to separate

How United

to unify
65 3.7
to federate
1 7.5
to join
1.0

Surface Forms

federate infinitive
federated past
federated past participle
federating present participle
federates third person singular

Morphology

federate = federal (transparent) = feder + ate

The verb meaning 'to unite under a central authority' is directly predictable from the root seen in 'federal'/'federation' plus the productive verb-forming suffix '-ate'.

Etymology

Federate comes from the Latin root foedus, meaning 'treaty' or 'league', and it shares the same root as federal and federation. So to federate is to join states or groups together by agreement under a central government.