block grant

noun

: an unrestricted grant made by the U.S. federal government to state and local governments to be used at their discretion to pay especially for social services that were formerly paid for through specific federal programs

Examples of block grant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The bill also reauthorizes and then modernizes the HOME Investments Partnership Program, a federal block grant program that seeks to boost building and buying affordable housing and provides rental assistance to low-income households. — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Over in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has proposed that Republicans get on the same page by passing elements of the SAVE America Act, namely block grants for ID and other voting requirements, through reconciliation. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2026

The program receives a mix of state funding and a federal block grant. — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 24 June 2026

In California, measures to unlock some federal block grant dollars for new housing in big cities could be particularly significant. — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for block grant

• decant
• descant
• eggplant
• enchant
• explant
• implant
• preplant
• recant
• replant
• supplant
• transplant
• ant

Legal Definition

block grant

noun

: an unrestricted federal grant