unilateral
adjective
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The world is a smaller place than it used to be, and we get uncomfortable when a single nation adopts a policy of unilateralism—that is, acting independently with little regard for what the rest of the world thinks. A unilateral invasion of another country, for instance, usually looks like a grab for power and resources. But occasionally the world welcomes a unilateral action, as when the U.S. announced unilateral nuclear-arms reductions in the early 1990s. Previously, such reductions had only happened as part of bilateral ("two-sided") agreements with the old Soviet Union. Multilateral agreements, on issues such as climate change, often involve most of the world's nations.
Examples of unilateral in a Sentence
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Despite a higher number of abstentions than in previous years, a majority of nations – 165 – still voted in favor of lifting the decades-old embargo, citing concerns about unilateral sanctions.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
Last month, Duffy warned European governments against imposing unilateral restrictions on transatlantic travel, saying Washington is prepared to enforce international agreements — a stance underscored by recent action taken against Mexico over similar concerns.
—David Shepardson, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
The judges in each of those appeals ultimately ruled that the president has the power to federalize the state’s National Guard, but does not have unilateral power to deploy the troops.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Unilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unilateral. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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