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
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The remarks came as senators of both major parties affirmed the importance of the political independence of the Fed during an hourslong confirmation hearing before the ​​Senate committee on housing, banking and urban affairs. Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025 Within both major parties, there are now two distinct – but dominant – forces that punish any members who do not adhere to the party line. Andrew Tisch, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025 The divide fell largely along party lines: about eight in 10 Democrats and nearly seven in 10 voters the survey identified as independent — those not affiliating with a major party — supported a path to legal status, while 60% of Republicans said undocumented immigrants should be deported. Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 19 Aug. 2025 Both major parties are preparing for intense campaigns in these areas, and any elections in the state could affect the balance of power in Congress. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025 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 11 Sep. 2025.

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