states' rights also States' rights (st ts)pl.n. 1. All rights not delegated to the federal government by the Constitution nor denied by it to the states. 2. The political position advocating strict interpretation of the Constitution with regard to the limitation of federal powers and the extension of the autonomy of the individual state to the greatest possible degree. states' righter n. |
states' rights
pl n (often capitals) (in the US)
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the rights and powers generally conceded to the states, or all those powers claimed for the states under some interpretations of the Constitution
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a doctrine advocating the severe curtailment of Federal powers by such an interpretation of the Constitution
states righter n
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | states' rights - a doctrine that federal powers should be curtailed and returned to the individual states doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought - a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school nullification - the states'-rights doctrine that a state can refuse to recognize or to enforce a federal law passed by the United States Congress |
| 2. | states' rights - the rights conceded to the states by the United States constitution right - an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature; "they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights"; "Certain rights can never be granted to the government but must be kept in the hands of the people"- Eleanor Roosevelt; "a right is not something that somebody gives you; it is something that nobody can take away" plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one |
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