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
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
The e-skin is made from magnetic patches that fit together like building blocks.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
But for this team, there’s building blocks for sure.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The scene came in a fictional segment parodying Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead in which Maggie defends her architectural talents after her daycare teacher punishes her for making beautiful structures from building blocks.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
The ecstasy of love and the fear of passing poison through one’s blood are, for Dijon, building blocks as elemental as drums.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025
Protein is made up of amino acids, which are known as building blocks.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 30 Nov. 2025
Wine Terms to Know Structure Intensity of flavor, richness of body, acidity, and tannins are all building blocks that lend structure to wine.
—Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
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
The e-skin is made from magnetic patches that fit together like building blocks.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
But for this team, there’s building blocks for sure.
—Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 3 Jan. 2026
The scene came in a fictional segment parodying Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead in which Maggie defends her architectural talents after her daycare teacher punishes her for making beautiful structures from building blocks.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
The ecstasy of love and the fear of passing poison through one’s blood are, for Dijon, building blocks as elemental as drums.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 8 Dec. 2025
Protein is made up of amino acids, which are known as building blocks.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 30 Nov. 2025
Wine Terms to Know Structure Intensity of flavor, richness of body, acidity, and tannins are all building blocks that lend structure to wine.
—Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for building blocks
Noun
-
The jury appears to have been persuaded by prosecutors’ argument that the defendants were members of an antifa cell connected to an ideology that calls for the overthrow of the government.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 13,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Mar. 2026
-
An overwhelming majority of guests are repeat guests and would readily identify themselves as members of the Tribe of Le Saint Géran.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The agency said its ratings range from A+ to F, based on factors like customer complaints, transparency, and responsiveness and that customer reviews do not impact ratings.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The kaiseki courses shift with the seasons, built around ingredients sourced from across Japan.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Don’t leave without a treatment at the Jade Spa, which uses local ingredients like almond oil, raw cocoa, and fresh coconut milk.—
Annie Daly,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
How do key components of matter — gas, dust, and heavy elements — flow into, get transported throughout, and ejected out of galaxies over time?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The skills could include tasks such as folding boxes, assembling components, or even manipulating objects, activities that still remain challenging for many robotic systems.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
How do key components of matter — gas, dust, and heavy elements — flow into, get transported throughout, and ejected out of galaxies over time?—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Known for statement designs with sculptural edge, their reiteration of the Gel-Kayano 20 sneaker shape has been decorated with delicate pearls, crystals, and bows—signature elements the brand often uses within every jewelry collection.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Building blocks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20blocks. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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