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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Recent Examples of building block
Players like Buium, Tom Willander and Liam Öhgren may be building blocks, perhaps, but the reality is that this process is beginning without any surefire cornerstone pieces in place.
—
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Such a meal should include a good source of protein, such as eggs, in order to stock up on or refuel depleted amino acids, including cysteine and methionine, which are building blocks for protective antioxidants.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Every day, practice, period, rep, snap and second are building blocks to something bigger.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Arginine is an amino acid (which are building blocks of proteins) that helps protect hair whereas the lipids help to protect the hair against thermal and UV damage from styling.
—Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for building block
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Such a meal should include a good source of protein, such as eggs, in order to stock up on or refuel depleted amino acids, including cysteine and methionine, which are building blocks for protective antioxidants.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Every day, practice, period, rep, snap and second are building blocks to something bigger.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2026
Arginine is an amino acid (which are building blocks of proteins) that helps protect hair whereas the lipids help to protect the hair against thermal and UV damage from styling.
—Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for building block
Recent Examples of Synonyms for building block
Noun
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Flanked by several clergy members of various denominations, Dolan, 76, thanked his former colleagues, as well as civic and community officials, before praising Jesus Christ for his lengthy career in the church.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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The many Luderer family members (Brian has four children and Matt has six daughters) have united to keep the faith.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Beijing controls the supply chain for many obscure minerals that are critical components of smartphones, cars and weapons.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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That’s a critical component if Sasaki’s velocity stays the same.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Analysts say a key factor in Adani’s meteoric rise over the years has been his knack for aligning his group’s priorities with those of the Modi government.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2026
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Thailand has long struggled with a high rate of deadly transportation accidents, with factors such as speeding, impaired driving and inconsistent traffic law enforcement frequently cited as contributing causes, according to the AFP.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Noun
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At the Yale University Art Gallery, which is showing the complete series in the photographer’s largest exhibition yet, the images are hung in tall, orderly grids, like a periodic table of the human elements.—
Max Norman,
New Yorker,
21 May 2026
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On paper, certain design elements shouldn’t make sense, like the vine wallpaper mixed with cloth foliage fabric wall coverings, or the houndstooth wallpaper in a bathroom that’s already an alchemy of half a dozen different tile patterns.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
Noun
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Foundayo uses a different active ingredient than Lilly's blockbuster injectables Mounjaro and Zepbound, while Novo's Wegovy pill is essentially an extension of the company's injectable equivalents.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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Emeril’s websites describes the restaurant today as a refined, modern expression of Chef Emeril’s classics, guided by seasonality, Louisiana ingredients and contemporary technique.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20block. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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