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

Some 90 million Nigerians -- a third of the nation -- don't have access to electricity at all, according to the World Bank.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

U.S. affordability of fertilizer is slated to fall to its lowest level since 2022, and that will erode farmers’ incomes and threaten future crop yields, the World Bank said.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

Abiy's economic reforms have received support from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, under the proviso the country liberalises its foreign currency exchange market and gets a handle on its debt.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 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

A World Bank study found that 42.5 percent of Mexicans live on two dollars or less a day.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario