checks and balances
plural noun
: a system that allows each branch of a government to amend or veto acts of another branch so as to prevent any one branch from exerting too much power
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web With algorithms charting the course for numerous significant decisions, a new version of checks and balances has spawned via algorithmic auditing. 
Ricardo Baeza-yates, Forbes, 25 July 2022 The city has since put additional expenditure checks and balances into place at Bartlett. Lisa Phu, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Aug. 2022 New leadership must return to serving and championing our Constitutional form of government and its three essential pillars and accompanying checks and balances. Peter Nicholas, NBC News, 14 July 2022 Opponents said an election provides more checks and balances and a higher level of public accountability. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2022 Yet he was ultimately blocked by members of his own party, concerned about undermining the checks and balances put in place by the framers of the Constitution. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2022 Aside from the obvious, keeping the checks and balances appeases internal and external stakeholders. Stefka Ivanova, Forbes, 16 May 2022 Breed has been accused of viewing the checks and balances between the legislative and executive branches of government as obstructionism. Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2022 Jackson's cases testing the checks and balances between the branches, among the most important from her nine years on lower courts, offer a window into her judicial method and courtroom style. Joan Biskupic, CNN, 18 Mar. 2022 See More
Ricardo Baeza-yates, Forbes, 25 July 2022 The city has since put additional expenditure checks and balances into place at Bartlett. Lisa Phu, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Aug. 2022 New leadership must return to serving and championing our Constitutional form of government and its three essential pillars and accompanying checks and balances. Peter Nicholas, NBC News, 14 July 2022 Opponents said an election provides more checks and balances and a higher level of public accountability. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2022 Yet he was ultimately blocked by members of his own party, concerned about undermining the checks and balances put in place by the framers of the Constitution. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2022 Aside from the obvious, keeping the checks and balances appeases internal and external stakeholders. Stefka Ivanova, Forbes, 16 May 2022 Breed has been accused of viewing the checks and balances between the legislative and executive branches of government as obstructionism. Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2022 Jackson's cases testing the checks and balances between the branches, among the most important from her nine years on lower courts, offer a window into her judicial method and courtroom style. Joan Biskupic, CNN, 18 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1787, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
checks and balances
noun plural
checks and bal·anc·es
-ˈba-lən-səz
: the powers (as judicial review, the presidential veto, and the congressional override) conferred on each of the three branches of government by which each restrains the others from exerting too much power see also separation of powers