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 company released a more expensive version of its subscription-fee offering in the EU in 2023, but was slapped with a €200 million ($232 million) fine in April after regulators argued the model still breached the bloc’s digital antitrust rules and didn’t offer users a genuine free choice. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025 However, Edward also knows that with more working men being able to vote, and with Guinness workers representing a significant voting bloc, all this goodwill will only help Arthur in the upcoming election. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025 Critics, including education advocates, argue the provision’s last-minute inclusion in the budget reflected the political leverage of cohesive voting blocs in Brooklyn and Rockland County. Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025 Europe has been on alert since Russian drones violated both Polish and Romanian airspace earlier this month – prompting NATO allies to pledge to beef up defenses on the bloc’s eastern flank. Michael Rios, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 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 3 Oct. 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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