bloc

\ ˈbläk

How to pronounce bloc (audio)

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Definition of bloc

1a : 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

2a : 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

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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 Coming tomorrow: Europe's finance ministers meet to discuss the bloc's recovery plan following news that the recession looks worse than expected. — Julia Horowitz, CNN, "Stocks can hold onto gains. But it won't be easy," 8 July 2020 Americans will not be allowed to travel to European Union countries when the bloc opens up to international visitors July 1, the European Council announced. — Jessica Flores, USA TODAY, "Coronavirus updates: Mike Pence to visit Arizona; Massachusetts reports zero deaths; California to 'tighten' restrictions," 1 July 2020 Tuesday’s decision comes after days of wrangling between the bloc’s member states, which were divided over the economic benefits of opening up ahead of the summer tourist season amid concerns about a second wave of the coronavirus. — Laurence Norman, WSJ, "EU to Remain Closed to U.S. Travelers as Borders Open Up," 30 June 2020 Angela Merkel threw her support behind the EU's €750 billion bailout fund, still a tough sell for the bloc's fiscal hawks. — Bernhard Warner, Fortune, "China passes its contentious new security law, rattling global investors," 30 June 2020 Travelers from the United States will continue to be barred from the European Union when the bloc of 26 countries reopens to some foreign travel Wednesday. — Washington Post, "Live updates: Fauci to testify to Senate committee on reopening schools amid coronavirus surge," 30 June 2020 The European Union seems almost certain to bar Americans in the short term from entering the bloc, which is currently drawing up new travel rules, EU diplomats confirmed Saturday. — Paul J. Weber, BostonGlobe.com, "As cases surge in US, rural areas see increases as well," 28 June 2020 The bloc’s efforts to negotiate a code of conduct with China to regulate behaviour in the sea could be a casualty. — The Economist, "Identify yourself China’s next move in the South China Sea," 18 June 2020 The commission has urged internal EU borders to be reopened before external ones and picked up support for this position from the bloc’s national governments. — Jonathan Stearns, Bloomberg.com, "Travel to Europe Will Be Allowed Again Starting July 1," 11 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bloc.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

12 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Bloc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloc. Accessed 12 Jul. 2020.

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