major party

noun

: a political party having electoral strength sufficient to permit it to win control of a government usually with comparative regularity and when defeated to constitute the principal opposition to the party in power

Examples of major party in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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As independents become the state’s fastest-growing bloc, both major parties are struggling to remain relevant to voters. Terry Lierman, Baltimore Sun, 10 Feb. 2026 In recentelectioncycles, between 30% and 50% of lower-chamber state legislative seats nationwide went uncontested by one of the two major parties. Charlie Hunt, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2026 The race between the two major parties to ride that feeling to victory in the November midterm elections and beyond has begun. Carter Dougherty, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026 These are the two major parties. David Remnick, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for major party

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of major party was in 1950

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Cite this Entry

“Major party.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major%20party. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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