1
a
: a temporary combination of parties in a legislative assembly
b
: a group of legislators who act together for some common purpose irrespective of party lines
2
a
: a combination of persons, groups, or nations forming a unit with a common interest or purpose
a bloc of voters
b
: a group of nations united by treaty or agreement for mutual support or joint action
3
: a quantity, number, or section of things dealt with as a unit : block
… seeking to buy and sell a large bloc of shares …Stuart Washington
Potvin's outstanding bloc of games during his rookie campaign occurred during the 1993 playoffs.Stan Fischler

Examples of bloc in a Sentence

a voting bloc in the senate a whole bloc of students got together to complain
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Last month, during a regional summit in Barbados, the bloc’s chairwoman, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, extended an invitation to President Donald Trump to visit the Caribbean and added the leaders also hoped to meet with senior administration officials. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2025 Leaders will discuss ways to move the bigger package forward and avoid a likely veto by Hungary, the bloc's most Russian-friendly country. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025 The bloc’s other member parties are currently parts of governments in the Netherlands and Italy. Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 19 Mar. 2025 There were concerns that the bloc's once solid unity had been thrown into irreversible disarray by Trump's whopping tariffs on steel and aluminum and threats for additional levies if there is any retaliation. arkansasonline.com, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bloc

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, block

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bloc was in 1903

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bloc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloc. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

bloc

noun
: a combination of persons, groups, or nations united by treaty, agreement, or common interest
a bloc of voters
Etymology

French, literally, "block"

More from Merriam-Webster on bloc

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