bloc

/blɔk/

Thân thiện

The two countries formed a trade bloc to strengthen their economies.

Definition

Noun: 1. A group of countries, political parties, or organizations united by a common purpose or interest: A bloc is a formal or informal alliance formed to achieve shared goals, often in politics, economics, or international relations. It implies a degree of collective action and solidarity among its members.

Usage and Examples

• International Relations: The term is frequently used to describe alliances of nations.
  • During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc was led by the Soviet Union.
  • Several countries formed a voting bloc at the United Nations to support the resolution.
• Politics: It can describe groups of political parties or legislators.
  • The agricultural bloc in the parliament successfully lobbied for new subsidies.
  • The two parties created a governing bloc to ensure a stable majority.
• Economics: It can refer to groups of countries with shared economic policies.
  • The creation of a single currency strengthened the European trade bloc.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Voting Bloc: A group within a legislative body that votes together on certain issues.
  • The senator's proposal was designed to appeal to the key swing voting bloc.
• As a cohesive unit: The word often emphasizes the group acting as a single, unified entity.
  • The nations negotiated as a single bloc, which increased their bargaining power.

Variants and Related Words

• Bloc Voting (noun phrase): The act of casting votes as a unified group.
• En Bloc (adverb, from French): As a whole; all together.
  • The committee resigned en bloc to protest the decision.

Synonyms

• Alliance: A union or association formed for mutual benefit.
• Coalition: A temporary alliance for combined action, especially of political parties.
• Faction: A small, organized dissenting group within a larger one.
• Caucus: A meeting of members of a political party or subgroup.

Antonyms

• Individual: A single human being as distinct from a group.
• Isolation: The process or fact of being alone or separated.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Power Bloc: A bloc that holds significant influence or power.
• Trading Bloc: A group of countries that have agreed to reduce or eliminate trade barriers among themselves.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a group of countries in special alliance

Từ đồng nghĩa

• axis