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

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Two other major parties boycotted the elections over allegations of unfair electoral practices. ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026 The number of Americans registering as independents (or simply not choosing a party) has dwarfed gains made by either major party over the past several years. Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026 Both major parties are declining. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026 The stakes for the two major parties in the midterms are high. Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for major party

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of major party was in 1950

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Cite this Entry

“Major party.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20party. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.

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