BUILDING BLOCK Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

building block

noun

Definition of building block

as in member

one of the parts that make up a whole historically the infantry division has been a basic building block of armies

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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 building block The body uses omega-3s as building blocks and chemical messengers that help reduce inflammation, among other benefits. — Matt Fuchs, Time, 26 June 2026 Assembling two dozen worthy building blocks is a mighty tall task, especially for a team starting with just a handful. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026 The building blocks of Ray’s crimes—compulsiveness, transgressiveness, poor boundaries—were there from early adulthood. — Adeline Goss, New Yorker, 11 June 2026 Likewise, Wong’s bricks are beyond compare in the attention lavished on each individual building block. — Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for building block

Recent Examples of Synonyms for building block

Noun

Low-income riders can enroll in LA Metro’s LIFE Program, where new members get 90 days of unlimited free rides, followed by 20 free rides each month.

— Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Each of the 31 teams needed to be reoutfitted, along with every member of the athletic department staff, and the old stuff discarded.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of member

Noun

Legislators and industry lobbyists alike are seeing that preemption is a losing issue among voters, making preemption one of the most difficult components of a federal AI package to pass.

— Caleb Knapp, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Repacking atoms To see how different a material can look and feel depending on how its atoms are packed, think about the element carbon, one of Earth’s most common elements and an important component of all living organisms.

— Robin Macaluso, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of component

Noun

How much these psychosocial factors directly correlate with on-pitch success remains unclear, but this would not be the first time cultural links are made between football and national identity.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Ed Kaz Oak Park The excitement over the Dodgers getting Tarik Skubal should be tempered by a couple of factors.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of factor

Noun

The introduction of liquid glass has led to larger, more graphical elements that have taken over in terms of clarity and ease of use.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
To explain its results, RealorRender identifies the suspicious regions of images as heatmaps (grids of colored squares indicating intensity, as with topographical maps) and segments of contiguous image elements.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of element

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“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20block. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of building block

noun

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