multilateral
adjective
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Since lateral means "side", multilateral means basically "many-sided". The philosophy of multilateralism claims that the best solutions generally result when as many of the world's nations as possible are involved in discussions, and multilateralists often favor strengthening the United Nations. Today multilateralism can be seen at work in, for example, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the International Criminal Court. But the U.S. doesn't always join the major multilateral organizations, instead often behaving as if a unilateral approach—that is, going it alone—was best for the interests of a powerful nation.
Examples of multilateral in a Sentence
Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025
An interim, technocratic Palestinian government under U.S.-Saudi oversight could handle civil affairs in Gaza, while a regional Arab security force, potentially under an Arab League or multilateral mandate, could maintain order.
—Ami Ayalon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Aug. 2025
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which was signed in 1947, was for many decades the main multilateral pact governing international trade.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 21 July 2025
Reserves at the central bank climbed to their highest level in two years, bolstered by IMF funds, a $5 billion swap line with China and fresh loans from multilateral banks.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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multilateral
adjective
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