confederacy
noun
con·fed·er·a·cy
kən-ˈfe-d(ə-)rə-sē 
plural confederacies
1
: a group of people, countries, organizations, etc. joined together for a common purpose or by a common interest : league, alliance
The artists came together as a confederacy of craftsmen a few years ago with the notion that, at least in the realm of marketing and getting the public's attention, there is power in numbers.—
Wallace Baine
Wallace Baine… as audiences splinter into increasingly antagonistic confederacies, finding images and themes which speak to a shared human condition can be a daunting task.—Brian Gable
Brian Gable
also
: a group of people working together for unlawful purposes : conspiracy
… a corrupt confederacy of pimps, profiteers and putzes with an instinct for ignorance and ill will. —Mark Kriegel
Mark Kriegel 2
a
: an entity (see entity sense 3) formed by a confederacy of nations, states, etc.
"Bush Runner" is not an easy book to read … , but it offers many rewards, especially to a reader keen to know more about early Canadian history. … it focuses on the early days of European contact with the Indigenous peoples and tribal confederacies along the St. Lawrence River, as well as in the Great Lakes and Hudson's Bay regions.—Michael Peterman
Michael Peterman
b
the Confederacy in U.S. history
: the 11 southern states of the United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and later also the states of Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) during their secession from the United States between 1860 and 1865
Synonyms
Examples of confederacy in a Sentence
a confederacy of native tribes
the last state to join the Confederacy
Recent Examples on the Web
Adams wanted to align the young Republic with Great Britain, while Jefferson favored a confederacy with France.
—Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Aug. 2024
Others were composed of city-states or anchored by large nomadic confederacies.
—Alexander Cooley, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2021
The constitution of this confederacy served as the basis for the U.S. Constitution.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 15 July 2024
At this early stage, stakeholders that include the Plaza District Council — a confederacy of residents and businesses working to maintain the vitality of the Plaza and its surrounding neighborhoods — see the new ownership as providing fresh hope.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for confederacy 
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.
Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Aug. 2024
Others were composed of city-states or anchored by large nomadic confederacies.
—Alexander Cooley, Foreign Affairs, 26 Mar. 2021
The constitution of this confederacy served as the basis for the U.S. Constitution.
—Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 15 July 2024
At this early stage, stakeholders that include the Plaza District Council — a confederacy of residents and businesses working to maintain the vitality of the Plaza and its surrounding neighborhoods — see the new ownership as providing fresh hope.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for confederacy
Dictionary Entries Near confederacy
Cite this Entry
“Confederacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confederacy. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
confederacy
noun
con·fed·er·a·cy
kən-ˈfed-(ə-)rə-sē
plural confederacies
: a league of persons, parties, or states : alliance
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share