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
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.
The 14-member California Citizens Redistricting Commission is made up of five Republicans, five Democrats and four who are not affiliated with the two major parties. Claire Wang, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025 Edevbie, who was the first major party candidate to enter the race back in January, spent the most of any candidate in the most recent quarter, expending close to $89,500. Arpan Lobo, Freep.com, 28 Oct. 2025 Republicans and Democrats in Washington have been unable to agree on bills to fund government operations for the last four weeks and leaders of the two major parties have blamed each other for the shutdown. State House News Service, Boston Herald, 27 Oct. 2025 Duggan had trailed the two major party candidates by double digits in earlier polling, marking the Schoen Cooperman Research poll results as a shift in momentum for the Independent candidate as the race gets closer. Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2025 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 2 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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