universalism
noun
uni·ver·sal·ism
ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-sə-ˌli-zəm 
1
often capitalized
a
: a theological doctrine that all human beings will eventually be saved
b
: the principles and practices of a liberal Christian denomination founded in the 18th century originally to uphold belief in universal salvation and now united with Unitarianism
2
: something that is universal in scope
3
: the state of being universal : universality
Examples of universalism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Otto Vogt's warning about the collapse of institutionalized moral universalism may sound dramatic, but the stakes are real.
—
Charles Towers-Clark, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Grounded in targeted universalism, this approach—called the FIVE Framework—identifies goals that benefit everyone, then addresses specific barriers that prevent some groups from reaching those goals.
—Heather Price, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Baldoni — whose Irish Catholic father and Ashkenazi mother both converted to the religion before he was born and raised in California — has made no secret about his devotion to the Baha’i faith, which is based on notions of humanity, universalism and gender equality.
—Peter Kiefer, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025
Paradoxically, this commitment to world peace and universalism reflects IBM’s identity as a distinctly American brand.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 21 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for universalism
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Charles Towers-Clark, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Grounded in targeted universalism, this approach—called the FIVE Framework—identifies goals that benefit everyone, then addresses specific barriers that prevent some groups from reaching those goals.
—Heather Price, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Baldoni — whose Irish Catholic father and Ashkenazi mother both converted to the religion before he was born and raised in California — has made no secret about his devotion to the Baha’i faith, which is based on notions of humanity, universalism and gender equality.
—Peter Kiefer, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025
Paradoxically, this commitment to world peace and universalism reflects IBM’s identity as a distinctly American brand.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 21 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for universalism
Cite this Entry
“Universalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/universalism. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share