confederation

/kənˌfedəˈreɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˌfedəˈreɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˌfe-də-ˈrā-shən/ (ame, mw)

confederation — noun

  • confederationsingular
  • confederationsplural

1. a group made up of separate countries, regions, or organizations that have agree

1.名詞C1
釋義

a group made up of separate countries, regions, or organizations that have agreed to work together while keeping most of their own powers.

例句

The six small islands formed a loose confederation to share fishing rules and coastal defense.

form a confederation + purpose clause

Caleb argued that a confederation of trade unions could push back against the new factory laws.

a confederation of + noun

同義詞
  • federation

    very close; federation often implies a stronger central authority than confederation

  • league

    broader and more informal; league can cover sports or trade groupings

  • alliance

    looser cooperation, often temporary and around one shared goal

  • union

    implies tighter merging into a single political body

文法句型

a confederation of [groups/countries/businesses]

用法筆記

Subject is typically a plural set of polities, regions, or organizations. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names the resulting body; sense 2 names the act of forming or the state of being joined.

常見錯誤

❌Yuki is a confederation member of our chess club.
✅Yuki is a member of our chess club.
💡confederation describes a union of separate organizations or polities, not an everyday club.
❌The two friends made a confederation to study together.
✅The two friends made a pact to study together.
💡confederation needs multiple groups, not individuals.

2. the process of joining separate groups into one cooperating body, or the conditi

2.名詞C1
釋義

the process of joining separate groups into one cooperating body, or the condition of being joined in that way.

例句

Historians often date the confederation of the German states from the early nineteenth century.

the confederation of + plural noun (the process)

Niran wrote a paper on the slow confederation of mountain villages under a single trade council.

同義詞
  • unification

    stronger; suggests becoming one single body, not a looser link

  • alliance

    the state of being allied, but usually less formal and structured

  • federation

    the process of federating, often with a stronger central authority as the result

反義詞
  • separation

    the act of breaking such ties apart

  • secession

    formal withdrawal from a confederation or union

文法句型

the confederation of [groups]

用法筆記

Used as an abstract noun naming the act or the state, not a body. Distinguish from sense 1, which names the resulting group itself. Often appears with a definite article and an 'of + plural noun' complement.

常見錯誤

❌The confederation signed the treaty.' (when meaning the act of uniting)
✅The act of confederation was sealed by the treaty.
💡when you mean the process or state, make the abstract reading explicit.