building block
noun
: a unit of construction or composition
especially
: something essential on which a larger entity is based
Examples of building block in a Sentence
historically the infantry division has been a basic building block of armies
Recent Examples on the Web
Comme de Garçons Play Men's Twin Hearts T-Shirt A basic T-shirt is the foundational building block of every travel wardrobe, and this coveted street-ready style is from Japanese brand Comme des Garçons.
—
Riana Singh, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2025
The draft still will be a crucial building block for the Sky, but the front office feels sufficiently bolstered by their odds of receiving a lottery pick from the Sun.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
For example, consider DNA, which is a chain of four different building blocks called nucleotides.
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
For example, its latest collection, Blocks, is an elevated form of brutalist architecture combined with building blocks from childhood.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for building block
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Riana Singh, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2025
The draft still will be a crucial building block for the Sky, but the front office feels sufficiently bolstered by their odds of receiving a lottery pick from the Sun.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
For example, consider DNA, which is a chain of four different building blocks called nucleotides.
—Philip Ball, Wired News, 8 June 2025
For example, its latest collection, Blocks, is an elevated form of brutalist architecture combined with building blocks from childhood.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for building block
Cite this Entry
“Building block.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/building%20block. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share