Synonyms of blocnext
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.
Ahead of a meeting in Brussels, the European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc's foreign ministers would discuss possibly extending a naval mission that protects ships in the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz, without giving any details. Arkansas Online, 17 Mar. 2026 Ahead of a meeting in Brussels, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc’s foreign ministers would discuss possibly extending a naval mission that protects ships in the Red Sea to the Strait of Hormuz, without giving any details. ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026 The impending clash would be the latest of many between Johnson and an antagonistic council bloc. Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026 The big story India rarely ties its foreign policy to a single partner or bloc. Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026 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 21 Mar. 2026.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster