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
France is in the midst of its worst political crisis in decades as a succession of minority governments seek to push deficit-reducing budgets through a truculent legislature split into three distinct ideological blocs.
—Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
Europe has faced criticism over its notorious red tape and fractured business environment; a report last year by a former head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, particularly raised alarm over the bloc’s competitiveness.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Her potential ascension to the budget panel was repeatedly highlighted by her campaign in 2020 as a way to sway Maine's fickle - and often decisive - independent voting bloc.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
The gamble backfired and his centrist bloc lost seats to both extremes, leaving France with a three-way split parliament and a government that could not pass major legislation.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bloc
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Reuters, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
Europe has faced criticism over its notorious red tape and fractured business environment; a report last year by a former head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, particularly raised alarm over the bloc’s competitiveness.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Her potential ascension to the budget panel was repeatedly highlighted by her campaign in 2020 as a way to sway Maine's fickle - and often decisive - independent voting bloc.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
The gamble backfired and his centrist bloc lost seats to both extremes, leaving France with a three-way split parliament and a government that could not pass major legislation.
—Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bloc
Cite this Entry
“Bloc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloc. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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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