Block — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈbläk/

Meaning & Definition of Block

Block (noun)

  1. a compact usually solid piece of substantial material especially when worked or altered to serve a particular purpose
  2. the piece of wood on which the neck of a person condemned to be beheaded is laid for execution
  3. a mold or form on which articles are shaped or displayed

Block (verb)

  1. to make (something) unsuitable for passage or progress by obstruction, obstruct
  2. to stop or hinder (someone or something) from moving through or going by
  3. to prevent (something, such as a process or action) from occurring

Block (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a number of things considered as a unit

    "bought a block of stocks"

    similar: array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suite, the whole kit and caboodle
    related: accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration, agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety, cycle, run, series, suit
    near: entity, item, single, unit

  2. something that makes movement or progress difficult

    "constant bickering that is only a block to the completion of the project"

    similar: balk, bar, chain, clog, cramp, crimp, deterrent, drag, embarrassment, encumbrance, fetter, handicap, hindrance, holdback, hurdle, impediment, inhibition, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, shackles, stop, stumbling block, trammel
    related: catch, hitch, rub, snag, barrier, blockade, blockage, brick wall, stone wall, arrest, bit, brake, check, constraint, curb, hobble, rein, restraint, embargo, stoppage, delay, holdup, stall, burden, cumber, load, danger, hazard, peril, reef, adversity, difficulty, disadvantage, drawback, hardship
    near: catalyst, goad, impetus, incentive, spur, stimulant, stimulus, advantage, break, edge, aid, assistance, benefit, boost, handmaiden, help

  3. the upper or front part of the body that contains the brain, the major sense organs, and the mouth

    "threatened to knock the block off the jerk next door if he didn't can the noise"

    similar: bean, dome, head, mazard (chiefly dialect), melon, nob, noddle, noggin, noodle, nut (slang), pate, poll
    related: cranium, crown, scalp, skull, occiput

  4. a group of people acting together within a larger group

    "a more conservative block within the political party"

    similar: bloc, body, coalition, faction, party, sect, set, side, wing
    related: splinter, split, crew, gang, pack, team, denomination, persuasion, schism, scission, caucus, movement

  5. an association of persons, parties, or states for mutual assistance and protection

    "a block of oil-producing nations"

    similar: alliance, axis, bloc, coalition, combination, combine, confederacy, confederation, federation, league, union
    related: cabal, conspiracy, junto, cartel, syndicate, trust, faction, front, fusion, side, wing, association, group, organization, affiliation, cooperative, partnership, circuit, conference

Block (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to close up so that no empty spaces remain

    "block up the opening in the wall where a window once was"

    similar: bung, dam, fill, pack, plug, stop, stuff
    related: choke, clog, close (off), clot, congest, jam, obstruct, occlude, caulk, chink, seal, repack, restuff
    near: excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), shovel

  2. to prevent passage through by filling with something

    "one of the patient's arteries was so blocked with fatty deposits that blood flow had been reduced to a trickle"

    similar: choke, clog, clot, congest, dam, gum (up), jam, obstruct, occlude, plug (up), stop (up), stuff
    related: bung, cork, spile, stopper, stopple, fill, gridlock, pack, fur, silt, flood, glut, inundate, overwhelm, swamp
    opposite: clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug, unstop
    near: excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), empty, lighten

  3. to stop, seize, or interrupt while in progress or on course

    "a thug suddenly stepped out of a doorway and blocked his escape down the alley"

    similar: intercept, interdict, pick off
    related: capture, catch, collar, corral, grab, seize, snare, snatch, trap

Related Entry: Block (off) (verb)

Block (off) is a different word from Block. The synonyms below are for block (off), not for block.

  1. to disallow entry into (a place) by means of a physical barrier at the entry point

    "the square is temporarily blocked off for the street fair"

    similar: bar, barricade, blockade, close (off), guard, wall (off)
    related: curtain (off), screen (off), dike, fence, gate, hedge, bolt, lock, obstruct
    opposite: open, unbar
    near: reopen, unblock, unbolt

Related Entry: Block grant (noun)

Block grant is a different word from Block. The synonyms below are for block grant, not for block.

  1. as in aid, assistance

    similar: aid, assistance, grant-in-aid, set-aside, allocation, allotment, annuity, appropriation, entitlement, grant, subsidy, subvention, foreign aid, relief, state aid, advance, allowance, benefit, bequest, endowment, fund, legacy, stipend, trust, trust fund

Related Entry: Block grants (noun)

Block grants is a different word from Block. The synonyms below are for block grants, not for block.

  1. as in aids, assistances

    similar: aids, assistances, grants-in-aid, set-asides, allocations, allotments, annuities, appropriations, entitlements, grants, subsidies, subventions, foreign aids, reliefs, state aids, advances, allowances, benefits, bequests, endowments, funds, legacies, stipends, trust funds, trusts

Related Entry: Building block (noun)

Building block is a different word from Block. The synonyms below are for building block, not for block.

  1. one of the parts that make up a whole

    "historically the infantry division has been a basic building block of armies"

    similar: component, constituent, element, factor, ingredient, member
    related: basis, part and parcel, detail, item, particular, point, aspect, characteristic, facet, feature, trait, division, fragment, particle, partition, piece, portion, section, sector, segment, subcomponent
    opposite: whole
    near: aggregate, composite, compound, mass, entirety, sum, summation, total, totality, admixture, amalgam, amalgamation, blend, combination, intermixture, mix, mixture

Related Entry: Stumbling block (noun)

Stumbling block is a different word from Block. The synonyms below are for stumbling block, not for block.

  1. something that makes movement or progress difficult

    "the only stumbling block to our move across the country was finding someone to adopt our cats"

    similar: balk, bar, block, chain, clog, cramp, crimp, deterrent, drag, embarrassment, encumbrance, fetter, handicap, hindrance, holdback, hurdle, impediment, inhibition, interference, let, manacle, obstacle, obstruction, shackles, stop, trammel
    related: catch, hitch, rub, snag, barrier, blockade, blockage, brick wall, stone wall, arrest, bit, brake, check, constraint, curb, hobble, rein, restraint, embargo, stoppage, delay, holdup, stall, burden, cumber, load, danger, hazard, peril, reef, adversity, difficulty, disadvantage, drawback, hardship
    near: catalyst, goad, impetus, incentive, spur, stimulant, stimulus, advantage, break, edge, aid, assistance, benefit, boost, handmaiden, help

Related Entry: Chip (noun)

Chip is a different word from Block. The synonyms below are for chip, not for block.

  1. a small flat piece separated from a whole

    "wood chips were spread over the ground between the plants"

    similar: flake, sliver, spall, splint, splinter
    related: bit, disk, fragment, part, particle, portion, scrap, section, shard, flinders, shiver, smithereens, shred, tatter, clipping, paring, shave, shaving, snippet, leaf, sheet, slice
    near: chunk, hunk, lump, slab

  2. a V-shaped cut usually on an edge or a surface

    "watch out for the chip on the rim of that drinking glass"

    similar: hack, indent, indentation, indenture, kerf, nick, notch
    related: joggle, nock, punch, snip, groove, score, undercut, slit, slot

  3. something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment

    "was in the chips after hitting it big in the lottery"

    similar: bread (slang), bucks, cabbage (slang), cash, change, coin, currency, dough, gold, green, jack (slang), kale (slang), legal tender, lolly (British), long green (slang), loot, lucre, money, moola (slang), needful, pelf, scratch (slang), shekels, tender, wampum
    related: coinage, specie, dead presidents (slang), folding money, paper money, scrip, banknote, cashier's check, check, draft, money order, note, promissory note, bill, dollar, greenback, bankroll, capital, finances, funds, roll (slang), wad, wallet, chump change, dibs (slang), dime, mite, peanuts, pittance, shoestring, big bucks, bomb (British), boodle, bundle, earth, fortune, king's ransom, megabucks, mint, packet (chiefly British), pile, pot, abundance, means, opulence, riches, treasure, wealth, resources, wherewithal, mad money, petty cash, pin money, pocket money, spending money

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Block

The most common words with a similar meaning to Block:

Chiefly dialect: mazard
Slang: nut
array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, bunch, clot, clump, cluster, clutch, collection, constellation, group, grouping, huddle, knot, lot, muster, package, parcel, passel, set, suite, balk, bar, chain, clog, cramp, crimp, deterrent, drag, embarrassment, encumbrance, fetter, handicap, hindrance, holdback, hurdle, impediment

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Block

Words with the opposite meaning of Block:

clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug, unstop

Related Words for Block

accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomeration, agglomeration, assortment, hodgepodge, jumble, miscellany, mixture, odds and ends, sundries, variety, cycle, run, series, suit, catch, hitch, rub, snag, barrier, blockade, blockage, brick wall, stone wall, arrest, bit, brake, check

Near Antonyms of Block

entity, item, single, unit, catalyst, goad, impetus, incentive, spur, stimulant, stimulus, advantage, break, edge, aid, assistance, benefit, boost, handmaiden, help, excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out), shovel, empty, lighten

Word Forms of Block

Inflections: blocked, blocking, blocks

Derived words: blocker (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Block

Middle English blok, from Middle French & Middle Dutch; Middle French bloc, from Middle Dutch blok; akin to Old High German bloh block

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Block

Words & Phrases Containing Block

block and tackle, block copolymer, block diagram, block grant, block letter, block party, block plane

Frequently Asked Questions about Block

What does "Block" mean?

"Block" means a compact usually solid piece of substantial material especially when worked or altered to serve a particular purpose. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a compact usually solid piece of substantial material especially when worked or altered to serve a particular purpose. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Block"?

Other words for "Block" include array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, bunch and clot. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Block" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Block"?

There are 206 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Block". Common alternatives include array, assemblage, band, bank, batch, battery, bunch, clot, clump and cluster.

What is the opposite of "Block"?

Antonyms of "Block" include clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug and unstop. Near antonyms include entity, item, single and unit.

How do you use "Block" in a sentence?

Examples of "Block" in a sentence: "bought a block of stocks"; "constant bickering that is only a block to the completion of the project"; "threatened to knock the block off the jerk next door if he didn't can the noise".

Is "Block" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Block" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Block" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Block" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Block"?

"Block" is pronounced /ˈbläk/.