ENGLISH
REFERENCE

feds

n.
US //ˈfɛdz// UK //fˈɛdz// feds
  1. 1 federal agents (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Slang

    government agents who work for a national or federal office, especially in the US.

    agents or officials belonging to a federal government agency, most commonly used in the United States to refer to the FBI or similar bureaus.

    Example

    In the movie, the feds were tracking the bank robbers across three different states.

    Example

    The investigation was eventually handed over to the feds once it became clear that the crime involved interstate commerce and federal tax evasion.

    Usage

    Usually used with the definite article 'the'.
  2. 2 the police (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Slang British English American English

    a general slang term for the police.

    a generic slang term for law enforcement officers, regardless of their specific jurisdiction or federal status.

    Example

    Someone shouted that the feds were coming, and the illegal party ended quickly.

    Example

    In certain urban dialects, 'the feds' has become a catch-all term for any police presence, even when the officers are local rather than national.

    Teacher's tip

    While originally American, this term is now common in British urban slang (MLE) to refer to any police officer.

Last updated June 20, 2026