block
29 synonyms and 1 antonym for block, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A solid piece of a hard material, usually with flat sides.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A solid piece of a hard material, usually with flat sides.
“The sculptor chipped away at a huge block of marble for months.”
How to use block
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
block a road
block someone
writer's block
city block
Etymology
From Old French bloc, ultimately from a Germanic word for a tree trunk or log.
Full origin of block →Frequently asked questions
What does “block” mean?
The word “block” means a solid piece of a hard material, usually with flat sides. In plain terms, a solid chunk of something, a city section, or (as a verb) to stop something from getting through.
How do you pronounce “block”?
“Block” is pronounced blok (/blɑk/ in IPA).
How do you use “block” in a sentence?
Here is “block” used in a sentence: “The wall was built from concrete blocks.”
What part of speech is “block”?
Depending on how it is used, “block” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “block” come from?
The word “block” comes from Old French. From Old French bloc, ultimately from a Germanic word for a tree trunk or log.
Is “block” a common word?
“Block” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “block” have?
“Block” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a solid piece of a hard material, usually with flat sides.
What is the difference between a block and a bloc?
A block is a solid piece of hard material, like a block of wood or stone, and has many other everyday meanings. A bloc is a group of countries, parties, or people united by a shared interest, such as a trading bloc. They sound alike but are unrelated.
What is the difference between a block and a brick?
A brick is a small, standardised building unit, traditionally made of fired clay and sized to fit in one hand. A block is larger and more general — often a bigger unit of concrete used in building, or simply any solid, flat-sided lump of hard material.
What is an example of a block?
Examples include a child's wooden building block, a block of ice, a concrete block in a wall, a butcher's chopping block, or a block of cheese. Each is a solid, usually flat-sided piece of hard material — the core meaning of the word.
What are the other meanings of block?
Beyond a solid piece, 'block' has many senses. It can mean a section of a town between streets, as in a city block; to block is to obstruct or stop something; and in computing or scheduling it can mean a chunk of data, code, or time.
