the feds
National law enforcement
The feds are federal government agents or agencies, especially law enforcement like the FBI or DEA: The feds raided the warehouse at dawn.
The term often carries an adversarial tone, implying surveillance or prosecution: Better watch out—the feds are onto him.
More broadly, it can refer to any federal authority, including the Federal Reserve: The feds raised interest rates again.
- Big BrotherTotalitarian surveillance authority
- FBIU.S. domestic intelligence agency
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- search warrantDocument permitting lawful premises examination
- G-menFBI agents, informally
alphabet agencies · ATF · DEA · warrants · counterterrorism · wiretaps · enforcement · surveillance · prosecution · witness protection · Department of Justice · subpoenas · grand jury · whistleblowers · jurisdiction · ICE · regulation · undercover agents
- ProhibitionProhibition, speakeasies, bootlegger, bootleggers, speakeasy
the fedsmunicipal police
Local government law enforcement
state police · county sheriff · local authorities · beat cops · state troopers
the fedsthe mob
Organized criminal enterprise
organized crime · criminals · outlaws · gangsters · fugitives
the fedscivilians
Non-military population
the people · ordinary citizens · the public · regular people · grassroots
fed, federal, federals, federation, federations, federalism, federalist, federalists, federate