major party

noun

: a political party having electoral strength sufficient to permit it to win control of a government usually with comparative regularity and when defeated to constitute the principal opposition to the party in power

Examples of major party in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fracturing politics So far, Britain’s increasingly fractured political landscape has benefited Reform UK, as people have felt increasingly confident turning away from the country’s two major parties – Labour and the Conservatives. — Katie Marie Davies, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2026

The Chiefs rally shooting — a highly public event witnessed by hundreds of thousands of fans and lawmakers of both major parties — sparked the loudest outcry for changes to Missouri’s gun laws in recent history. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2026

Independent candidates shouldn’t have a higher threshold than those affiliated with the two major parties. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026

The political leadership of both of our major parties must step up to sustain the research enterprise in our public and private universities. — Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for major party

• counterparty
• multiparty
• arty
• carty
• hearty
• parti
• astarte
• mccarty
• nonparty