federal case

NOUN

minor problem made into a major issue

Synonyms

WEAK

big deal much ado about nothing storm in a teacup

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That can happen in civil litigation: Sometimes you have a private agreement, where both sides agree that they want to get rid of the case before they make a federal case out of it.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges and a separate federal case.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Eileen Wang, an Arcadia city leader facing charges of acting as an illegal foreign agent of China, resigned Monday after reaching an agreement to resolve the federal case.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

In the past, they've asked Judge Carro to pause the proceedings while the federal case takes place, a request he has denied.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

But what hope had the West Computers of making a federal case out of something so banal as a cafeteria sign?

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly