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

Some Black Michigan Democrats believe the effort, aimed at pressuring the Biden administration over Gaza, cost then-Vice President Kamala Harris in her campaign as the first Black woman to be a major party presidential nominee. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

The race pits the two major party candidates against each other in a Sierra Nevada foothills Senate District where Republicans have a narrow voter registration advantage. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026

Every election, the two major parties mobilize massive operations of attorneys, staffers and volunteers to monitor polling places and ballot counting. — Nicholas Riccardi, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

Xi now plans to follow his state visit to Washington with a major party meeting to lay the groundwork for his fourth five-year term, which will start next year. — Jonathan A. Czin, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 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