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
Stuart WashingtonPotvin's outstanding bloc of games during his rookie campaign occurred during the 1993 playoffs.—Stan Fischler
Stan FischlerExamples 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
Japan's membership of Asia's other mega trade bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), is also strategically important for Tokyo.
—Robert Ward, NPR, 27 May 2025
Combined with a cooperative stance toward China, the U.S., and emerging blocs like Mercosur and the African Union, the EU remains a pragmatic and reliable partner.
—Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The outlook has been further clouded by Europe’s reluctance to expand its energy delivery infrastructure to receive more Azerbaijani gas exports—a step that some member states see as conflicting with the bloc’s ambitious climate goals.
—Zaur Shiriyev, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2025
President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will delay implementation of a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union from June 1 until July 9 to buy time for negotiations with the bloc.
—CBS News, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bloc
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Robert Ward, NPR, 27 May 2025
Combined with a cooperative stance toward China, the U.S., and emerging blocs like Mercosur and the African Union, the EU remains a pragmatic and reliable partner.
—Elena Bou, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
The outlook has been further clouded by Europe’s reluctance to expand its energy delivery infrastructure to receive more Azerbaijani gas exports—a step that some member states see as conflicting with the bloc’s ambitious climate goals.
—Zaur Shiriyev, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2025
President Trump said Sunday that the U.S. will delay implementation of a 50% tariff on goods from the European Union from June 1 until July 9 to buy time for negotiations with the bloc.
—CBS News, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for bloc
Cite this Entry
“Bloc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloc. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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"
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