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
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
Carbon turns building block Rahbar says the global dependence on concrete urgently needs rethinking.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Protein is made up of amino acids, which are known as building blocks.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for building block
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
Carbon turns building block Rahbar says the global dependence on concrete urgently needs rethinking.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Protein is made up of amino acids, which are known as building blocks.
—Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for building block
Recent Examples of Synonyms for building block
Noun
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On Tuesday, three members of the council, Leslie Voltaire, Edgard Leblanc Fils and Louis Gérald Gilles, announced the creation of a new three-member presidential college to lead the next phase of the transition.—
JACQUELINE CHARLES MIAMI HERALD,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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Alexseyev has had significant involvement in the war in Ukraine, serving as one of Russia’s negotiators in the secret talks with a member of the Ukrainian parliament to end Russia’s 2022 siege of the strategic city of Mariupol, Ukraine.—
Anna Chernova,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Through this project, Jamie shows that the core ideas behind modern machines—cars, fans, and even industrial robots—can be understood with simple components and a bit of patience.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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There are also other components in caffeinated beverages – particularly tea – that can provide brain boosting effects such as polyphenols and L-theanine which may guard against oxidative stress and support cerebrovascular function.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The university disputed his statement, saying the deficit is substantially lower and stems from broader institutional and external factors.—
Jaweed Kaleem,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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In his appeal, Green argued the sentence was too harsh – that Judge Samuel Cappas abused his discretion with the factors used to come up with his prison term.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One missing element was what would be left behind after the cuts.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Other varieties provide additional design elements such as interesting bark, colorful fruits, and fabulous fall foliage to enhance the garden all year long.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Food Processor quickly chops, slices and shreds a wide array of ingredients for unlimited culinary creations while the Coffee & Spice Grinder efficiently grinds coffee beans, spices and herbs for superior flavor and potency.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Biotin, an essential B vitamin, is a common hair care ingredient known for its ability to support keratin production, a protein that’s essential for helping form hair strands (as well as nails and the epidermis).—
Erika Reals,
InStyle,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/building%20block. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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