World Bank

American  

noun

1. an international bank established in 1944 to help member nations reconstruct and develop, especially by guaranteeing loans: a specialized agency of the United Nations.

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World Bank British  

noun

1. Officially called: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.  an international cooperative organization established in 1945 under the Bretton Woods Agreement to assist economic development, esp of backward nations, by the advance of loans guaranteed by member governments

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Example Sentences

Malpass, who ran the World Bank from 2019 to 2023, also said that Beijing's claim to be a developing nation was no longer credible.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

“Considering Somali piracy as an increased cost of trade translates into an estimated $18 billion yearly loss to the world economy,” researchers at the World Bank wrote in a 2013 report.

From Barron's • May 4, 2026

The World Bank expects commodity prices to rise 16% this year, the first annual increase since 2022.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Watchdog Transparency International has listed Equatorial Guinea as one of the world's most corrupt states, while the World Bank reports that more than half of Equatoguineans live in poverty.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

In the end, Clinton prevailed on the World Bank to give Russia a loan.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French