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

This simultaneous rise of the Greens and Reform could fracture Britain’s political landscape, in which the first-past-the-post electoral system typically favors two or three major parties. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

For the first time since it was created in 1974 after the Watergate scandal, the FEC had no members from one of the two major parties. — Gabe Kaminsky, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Additionally, both major parties have become toxic; barriers to having independent candidates run for office should be removed. — Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026

Some Black Michigan Democrats believe the effort, aimed at pressuring the Biden administration over Gaza, cost then-Vice President Kamala Harris in her campaign as the first Black woman to be a major party presidential nominee. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for major party

• counterparty
• multiparty
• arty
• carty
• hearty
• parti
• astarte
• mccarty
• nonparty