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.

Related

alphabet agencies · ATF · DEA · warrants · counterterrorism · wiretaps · enforcement · surveillance · prosecution · witness protection · Department of Justice · subpoenas · grand jury · whistleblowers · jurisdiction · ICE · regulation · undercover agents

Categories
Opposites
jurisdiction level

the fedsmunicipal police

Local government law enforcement

state police · county sheriff · local authorities · beat cops · state troopers

government vs. anti-government

the fedsthe mob

Organized criminal enterprise

organized crime · criminals · outlaws · gangsters · fugitives

institutional authority vs. ordinary citizens

the fedscivilians

Non-military population

the people · ordinary citizens · the public · regular people · grassroots

Family

fed, federal, federals, federation, federations, federalism, federalist, federalists, federate

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Mostly American · Timeless · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG