1
as in factions
a group of people acting together within a larger group
a whole bloc of students got together to complain
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2
as in coalitions
an association of persons, parties, or states for mutual assistance and protection
the bloc that the United States and most of western Europe formed during the Cold War
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Recent Examples of blocs
The agreement, which is designed to facilitate trade between the two blocs by lowering tariffs on a range of products, now needs the approval of EU Parliament and a qualified majority of 15 member states.
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Sam Meredith, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
Yes, Republicans are doing a bit better among some core Democratic voting blocs.
—Todd Eberly, Baltimore Sun, 21 Dec. 2024
Second, the two major parties depended on regional voting blocs, so that a small number of swing states decided the outcomes.
—Bruce J. Schulman / Made By History, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
These challenges came from autocratic populists within liberal democracies as well as from blocs of countries that offered an alternative to American hegemony.
—Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024
Over the past two decades, however, intense partisanship, regional political blocs, voter suppression efforts, and new media have produced a quarter-century of close, volatile elections— much like in the Gilded Age.
—Bruce J. Schulman / Made By History, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
With the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, split into three major blocs — the far-right National Rally, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front and Macron's centrists — the way forward for Europe's second-biggest economy is expected to be rocky.
—Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 4 Dec. 2024
Both opposition blocs, typically at odds, are uniting against Barnier, accusing him of imposing austerity measures and failing to address citizens’ needs.
—Tom Nouvian and Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
That wound up uniting two opposition blocs — typically at odds with each other — against Barnier.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
Sam Meredith, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
Yes, Republicans are doing a bit better among some core Democratic voting blocs.
—Todd Eberly, Baltimore Sun, 21 Dec. 2024
Second, the two major parties depended on regional voting blocs, so that a small number of swing states decided the outcomes.
—Bruce J. Schulman / Made By History, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
These challenges came from autocratic populists within liberal democracies as well as from blocs of countries that offered an alternative to American hegemony.
—Ben Rhodes, Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2024
Over the past two decades, however, intense partisanship, regional political blocs, voter suppression efforts, and new media have produced a quarter-century of close, volatile elections— much like in the Gilded Age.
—Bruce J. Schulman / Made By History, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
With the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament, split into three major blocs — the far-right National Rally, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front and Macron's centrists — the way forward for Europe's second-biggest economy is expected to be rocky.
—Eleanor Beardsley, NPR, 4 Dec. 2024
Both opposition blocs, typically at odds, are uniting against Barnier, accusing him of imposing austerity measures and failing to address citizens’ needs.
—Tom Nouvian and Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024
That wound up uniting two opposition blocs — typically at odds with each other — against Barnier.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blocs
Noun
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Pity Mike Johnson; unifying the different factions of the GOP will be next to impossible given his lack of leverage.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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The power vacuum left by Assad’s departure risks intensifying competition among various factions and among country’s many ethnic and religious minorities.Hamidreza Azizi, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Throughout Germany, where the AfD has placed highly in state elections, the other parties have generally refused to form coalitions with it.Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2024
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The mainstream parties have refused to govern with the AfD, but its presence complicates the parliamentary arithmetic, making unwieldy coalitions more likely.Fox News, Fox News, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Besides Gaza, Biden's defeat might have serious consequences for Ukraine, NATO and America's alliances generally.Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 23 Dec. 2024
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Reflect on your friendships and group alliances.USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The headline-grabbing protests could also inspire some workers to organize unions at new facilities, posing a future threat to the company's distribution network -- but the protesters appear far from attaining the scale necessary for such impact, the experts said.Max Zahn, ABC News, 23 Dec. 2024
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Employees organized at bookstores, where unions are rare, and were successful with campaigns at some stores run by Apple, Trader Joe's and the outdoor equipment company REI.CBS News, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near blocs
Cite this Entry
“Blocs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blocs. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
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