building block

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In its primordial form, liberalism was a political belief that the building block of society is the individual—an idea tethered loosely to the Christian notion that every single human being contains a divine spark.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Speaking to TNT Sports, returning captain John McGinn suggested that the result had provided Villa with a "building block" and the opportunity to "reset" after a difficult few weeks.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

That extra building block can expand their biochemical capabilities.

From Science Daily • Feb. 28, 2026

A 30-second hello builds immediate rapport — it turns strangers into friendly faces and makes a building, block, or street feel safer and more human.

From Salon • Jan. 27, 2026

This method is based on the slow decay of radioactive carbon 14, a very minor component of carbon, the ubiquitous building block of life, into the nonradioactive isotope nitrogen 14.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond