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
Alexandra Pastore, Footwear News, 20 May 2025
For more than a decade, the Communist Party of China has positioned itself as a vocal opponent of terrorism in global fora, invoking the language of stability, responsibility, and multilateral cooperation.
—Jianli Yang, National Review, 18 May 2025
Russian forces were on the outskirts of Kyiv, so negotiators had no time for multilateral diplomacy.
—Samuel Charap, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2025
In a further bid to multilateral engagement, Indonesia has initiated plans to pursue membership in two transnational economic groupings: the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
—Gilang Kembara, The Conversation, 7 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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multilateral
adjective
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