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

With one candidate for each major party, the primary likely serves as a preview of a competitive general election in this swing district. —Sacbee.com, 4 May 2026

Nobody in the group that appeared at a forum put on by the College Democrats at the University of Illinois Chicago has major party backing. —Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026

Speaking in Ormond Beach, DeSantis took aim at Jeffries’ recent warnings to Florida Republicans over redistricting, appearing to use African-American vernacular to imitate the Brooklyn lawmaker, who in 2023 became the first Black politician to lead a major party in Congress. —Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026

Leaders of both major parties see Tuesday’s vote as crucial to their chances to have a House majority in the fall. —ABC News, 21 Apr. 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