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.
The measures could significantly impact the bloc’s economies. Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025 In an address to Davos attendees on Tuesday, the euro area's top official said the bloc's longtime economic model is no longer viable. Courtenay Brown, Axios, 21 Jan. 2025 European Union government debt accounted for 81.5 percent of the bloc's nominal GDP in June 2024, according to the EU's statistical service Eurostat. Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025 The group focuses on encouraging women to become politically active, with the aim of empowering them as a voting bloc. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Jan. 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

Dictionary Entries Near bloc

Cite this Entry

“Bloc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloc. Accessed 29 Jan. 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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