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
There's no deadline for the bloc to resolve the case, which could end in either X pledging to change its behavior or a hefty fine.
—Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Some fears exist among the British right that Reform’s success could still be squashed by an alliance of Labour, the Green Party, the Lib Dems, and a confederation of minor parties if a pact is not struck with the Conservatives, assuring a unified right-wing bloc.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 26 Jan. 2026
Even among voters who attended worship services more than once a week, a reliable Republican bloc, Obama had increased his support by eight points.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
New Delhi plans to slash tariffs on cars imported from the bloc to 40%, from as high as 110%, according to sources cited by Reuters, with duties set to fall to 10% over time.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bloc
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Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
Some fears exist among the British right that Reform’s success could still be squashed by an alliance of Labour, the Green Party, the Lib Dems, and a confederation of minor parties if a pact is not struck with the Conservatives, assuring a unified right-wing bloc.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 26 Jan. 2026
Even among voters who attended worship services more than once a week, a reliable Republican bloc, Obama had increased his support by eight points.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
New Delhi plans to slash tariffs on cars imported from the bloc to 40%, from as high as 110%, according to sources cited by Reuters, with duties set to fall to 10% over time.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 26 Jan. 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 27 Jan. 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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