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.
But the dangers that Haiti’s crises continue to pose loomed large last week as the 15-member Caribbean Community regional bloc known as CARICOM discussed the ongoing problems in Haiti, a member country. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2025 The new German government will be formed by Merz's Union bloc, with Merz as the country's new chancellor. Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 24 Feb. 2025 Friedrich Merz, the leader of the conservative bloc that won this month's election, also hardened his position on immigration, tilting toward the AfD platform and stirring fear among Germany's left of a coming coalition between the far- and moderate-right. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025 The projections, based on exit polls and partial counting, put support for Merz’s Union bloc around 28.5% and the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, about 20.5% — roughly double its result from 2021. Geir Moulson, Chicago Tribune, 23 Feb. 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 Mar. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!