as in members
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 blocks
View gallery - 7 images Functioning a little like oversized Lego, the versatility of shipping containers ensures that architects never run out of ideas for using them as building blocks.
—
New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
While no life has been found on the 310-mile-wide moon, the discovery confirms that building blocks for it could be present, Nozair Khawaja, a planetary scientist at the Free University of Berlin in Germany, who led the study, said in a press release.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
But building blocks that connect seamlessly to existing networks remain elusive.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
Even as tragedy and struggle beset the tenement districts, the very qualities that defined the tenement’s unfavorable physical conditions—over-crowdedness and density—became building blocks for community.
—Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
These are building blocks for monetization through direct use or by renting them out to other attackers.
—Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
While no life has been found on the 310-mile-wide moon, the discovery confirms that building blocks for it could be present, Nozair Khawaja, a planetary scientist at the Free University of Berlin in Germany, who led the study, said in a press release.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
But building blocks that connect seamlessly to existing networks remain elusive.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2025
Even as tragedy and struggle beset the tenement districts, the very qualities that defined the tenement’s unfavorable physical conditions—over-crowdedness and density—became building blocks for community.
—Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
These are building blocks for monetization through direct use or by renting them out to other attackers.
—Carlos Morales, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for building blocks
Noun
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There’s not a question that's a negative experience for a child, and at the same time, all members of the family deserve opportunities for healing.—
Ashley Luthern,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Saturday was never an auspicious day for a funeral, and if it was held on Sunday, nine members of the family would die.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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All those factors ultimately proved enough.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Experts say factors that impact fall foliage include steady rainfall during spring and summer, and cool nights in the early fall.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Pause exfoliants and retinol If your skin is not accustomed to cold or dry conditions, don’t use exfoliants or retinoids during your trip, since these ingredients can cause irritation and dryness.—
Leslie Baumann,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
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As a result, some supplement products may not contain the ingredients listed on the label or in the quantities mentioned.—
Sarah Anzlovar,
Verywell Health,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Rockets and satellites were historically mostly built in massive, sterile places where engineers in Tyvek suits moved cautiously around intricate components.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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The important components to remember with this offer is that your initial $5 bet must be on a market that has odds of -500 or longer.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Taken together, these triumphal and tragic elements constitute the ingredients for an epic historical narrative that defies all moralistic categories, a story rooted in the coexistence of grandeur and failure, brilliance and blindness, grace and sin.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
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Her fusion of art rock, electronic, and pop elements in her music has earned her a place among the most influential artists of her generation.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Building blocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20blocks. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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