blocks 1 of 2

Definition of blocksnext
plural of block
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as in heads
slang the upper or front part of the body that contains the brain, the major sense organs, and the mouth threatened to knock the block off the jerk next door if he didn't can the noise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in factions
a group of people acting together within a larger group a more conservative block within the political party

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

blocks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of block
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as in intercepts
to stop, seize, or interrupt while in progress or on course a thug suddenly stepped out of a doorway and blocked his escape down the alley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blocks
Noun
Over much of the past two decades in China, units that easily go beyond 1,000 square feet in the towering apartment blocks of exclusive districts sold out fast. Chris Lau, CNN Money, 18 May 2026 The gun battle between his security guards and the cartel took place just a few blocks from a police station. Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 Planted with a total of 26 acres of Chardonnay and 18 of Pinot Noir, the vineyard is divided into 18 blocks based on year planted, clonal selection, and exposure. Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 17 May 2026 Senior Julian Rogers also was torrid with seven kills, two blocks and one dig. Bill Kemp, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2026 Junior standout outside hitter Nick Castillo led the Mavericks in kills, total blocks and aces this season. Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 17 May 2026 With laser guidance, contractors applied epoxy to joint the blocks end-on. Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026 In October 2022, two blocks from the Saturday Wiman Drive shooting scene, a SWAT sniper shot to death Taylor Grimes with a rifle, according to the Fort Worth Police Department. Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2026 Neighborhoods to Visit Warehouse District Raleigh’s Warehouse District has emerged as one of the city’s most compelling neighborhoods for visitors, weaving history and a modern energy across six walkable blocks. Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026
Verb
In contrast, targeting NTR1 activates a particular signaling protein and blocks pain. Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026 But then maybe Embiid blocks him from behind. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 4 May 2026 Leadership cowardice blocks our connection to that top level — the why. Big Think, 4 May 2026 With the two-drug regimen, patients first take mifepristone — which blocks the hormone progesterone — to end the pregnancy. Mara Gordon, NPR, 4 May 2026 The drug blocks a signal that causes cancer cells to grow non-stop. Kerry Breen, CBS News, 2 May 2026 Oversized furniture that blocks walkways disrupts the natural flow of a gathering. Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026 The bill blocks all law enforcement officers — at the local, state and federal levels — from wearing masks. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026 The executive order also blocks assets owned or controlled by the Cuban government, its agencies, companies and officials. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blocks
Noun
  • This fast-growing shrub got its name from the shape of its colorful flowers, which grow as dense spikes or round clusters in red, pink, yellow, or white that attract hummingbirds.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 17 May 2026
  • Spread to Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, and Uganda plus clusters of unexplained deaths suggest a far larger outbreak than reported and raise fresh alarms over funding, supplies and regional preparedness.
    Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • The finale is leading to a big convention showdown between Hypergnosis and PINATA, which are each working through obstacles that any responsible company would iron out before going public with their product.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 May 2026
  • The incidents involving contact with chains, trailer hitches, poles, and curbs indicate recurring limitations in detecting smaller or irregular obstacles, especially during reversing maneuvers.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • The chance to work with the former Brighton & Hove Albion manager had been a significant draw for many of the players who had joined the club over the previous 18 months, and his abrupt departure left some scratching their heads.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • His neighbors baked the entire haul into an enormous pie, and left the heads of the fishes poking through as a celebration of abundance, or maybe an announcement of survival.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • Masculinism has been a great gift, because factions with different views on, say, protectionism or Israel or Big Tech can all agree on the overreach of feminism and the need for a return to traditional gender roles.
    Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
  • Streeting’s views could prove a significant hurdle in garnering support from Labour’s membership, however, with left-wing factions within the party regarding him as too centrist or even right wing.
    Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • By introducing legislation, advocating through committee work, building coalitions with other high‑cost districts and working directly with federal agencies to obtain grants, waivers and emergency allocations.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
  • Some progress is easier with aligned leadership, but effective lawmakers still build coalitions issue by issue.
    Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Each of the treatment rooms is named for a different flower or herb, and inside, that specific fragrance fills the space.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
  • Drivers frequently slow earlier than expected as the ramp fills.
    Eva Flowe May 11, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 May 2026
  • Don't tail large vehicles closely - Trucks or buses can kick up a water spray that obstructs visibility.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • The process intercepts industrial carbon emissions before they are released into the atmosphere and converts them into recycled fibers.
    Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Kagan and his colleagues showed that within minutes, neurons on microchips could learn to play Pong, the classic video game in which a player repeatedly intercepts a ball—think two-dimensional ping-pong.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 28 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Blocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blocks. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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