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
Powell was the sole conservative justice to vote with the liberal bloc on the Court.
—Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Fielder has been the sole democratic socialist on the board and a steadfast advocate for progressive causes, often voting against Lurie’s legislative agenda and the board’s moderate majority bloc.
—Alyce McFadden, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
The shift also orphaned blocs of conservatives swept into neighboring districts long held by Democrats, turning the seats a lighter shade of blue, but blue nonetheless.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Last month, the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre of a regional bloc known as IGAD said the March-May rainy season has a 45% chance of above-average rainfall across most countries in the region, with affected countries ranging from Uganda to Djibouti.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloc
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Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Fielder has been the sole democratic socialist on the board and a steadfast advocate for progressive causes, often voting against Lurie’s legislative agenda and the board’s moderate majority bloc.
—Alyce McFadden, San Francisco Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2026
The shift also orphaned blocs of conservatives swept into neighboring districts long held by Democrats, turning the seats a lighter shade of blue, but blue nonetheless.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Last month, the Climate Prediction and Applications Centre of a regional bloc known as IGAD said the March-May rainy season has a 45% chance of above-average rainfall across most countries in the region, with affected countries ranging from Uganda to Djibouti.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloc
Cite this Entry
“Bloc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloc. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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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