uni·ver·sal
ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl 
1
: including or covering all or a whole collectively or distributively without limit or exception
especially
: available equitably to all members of a society
universal health coverage
2
a
: present or occurring everywhere
b
: existent or operative everywhere or under all conditions
universal cultural patterns
3
a
: embracing a major part or the greatest portion (as of humankind)
a universal state
universal practices
b
: comprehensively broad and versatile
a universal genius
4
a
: affirming or denying something of all members of a class or of all values of a variable
b
: denoting every member of a class
a universal term
5
: adapted or adjustable to meet varied requirements (as of use, shape, or size)
a universal gear cutter
a universal remote control
1
: one that is universal: such as
a
: a universal proposition in logic
b
: a predicable of traditional logic
c
: a general concept or term or something in reality to which it corresponds : essence
2
a
: a behavior pattern or institution (such as the family) existing in all cultures
b
: a culture trait characteristic of all normal adult members of a particular society
Synonyms
Examples of universal in a Sentence
Adjective
an idea with universal appeal
a pattern that is universal across all cultures
Recent Examples on the Web
The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The looks lean toward universal basics with clean lines.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024
Unlike the increasingly anodyne and sterile offerings from the DC and Marvel superhero factories, Drew’s film exploits the conventions of the genre to at once make pop culture feel strange to us again and make a personal trans narrative feel familiar, even universal.
—Abraham Josephine Riesman, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
Few desires are more universal than wanting to get more and better sleep.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
English, long considered the primary language for business, has never been as universal or sufficient as conventionally believed.
—Rosemary Salomone, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024
The universal appeal of large windows, plenty of natural light, and an airy, open-concept space will always be desired.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2024
The creation of the ACP, along with other programs to fund broadband deployment across the US, was a firm recognition that universal and affordable connectivity is vital to a healthy society and economy.
—Gigi Sohn, The Verge, 5 Apr. 2024
The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.
—Rob Gillies, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024
Travis Bean, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Their stories are signs of the fresh upheaval that families across New York City are facing, as Mayor Eric Adams has abandoned plans to make the city’s 3-K program universal.
—Troy Closson, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Photo: Courtesy of the Artist and Copenhagen Contemporary In the last few years, Davidsen has made a more visible move from the personal to the universal with her paintings of landscapes.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Jan. 2024
In other words, a pattern that most psychologists have seen as a human universal is instead a product of culture.
—Shinobu Kitayama, Scientific American, 15 May 2023
But his mixed-media tapestries reach past any specific culture and toward the universal.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2023
Vice President Harris, during her presidential primary campaign, articulated a true equal pay proposal, an initiative estimated to inject an additional $180 billion into U.S. coffers–revenue that could be used to offset the cost universal paid and medical leave as well as affordable childcare.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2023
Felker has a knack for narrative detail like the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, able to tap into the universal through specifics, but instead of the Twin Cities, most of the action takes place in Oklahoma and neighboring states.
—Jon Freeman, Spin, 24 Aug. 2023
Listings are ordered by popularity, the insidious universal of the online world.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
Adjective
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy (HarperOne: $23) A modern fable explores life’s universal lessons.
…
Paperback fiction
1.
—The California Independent Booksellers Alliance, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024
The looks lean toward universal basics with clean lines.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024
Unlike the increasingly anodyne and sterile offerings from the DC and Marvel superhero factories, Drew’s film exploits the conventions of the genre to at once make pop culture feel strange to us again and make a personal trans narrative feel familiar, even universal.
—Abraham Josephine Riesman, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
Few desires are more universal than wanting to get more and better sleep.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024
English, long considered the primary language for business, has never been as universal or sufficient as conventionally believed.
—Rosemary Salomone, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024
The universal appeal of large windows, plenty of natural light, and an airy, open-concept space will always be desired.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Apr. 2024
The creation of the ACP, along with other programs to fund broadband deployment across the US, was a firm recognition that universal and affordable connectivity is vital to a healthy society and economy.
—Gigi Sohn, The Verge, 5 Apr. 2024
The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.
—Rob Gillies, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
Eisenberg’s directorial debut shines through the nuanced performances of its leads, presenting a story that is both specific in its characters and universal in its themes of connection and ambition, proving that the quest for understanding within familial bonds is achievable.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Their stories are signs of the fresh upheaval that families across New York City are facing, as Mayor Eric Adams has abandoned plans to make the city’s 3-K program universal.
—Troy Closson, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
Photo: Courtesy of the Artist and Copenhagen Contemporary In the last few years, Davidsen has made a more visible move from the personal to the universal with her paintings of landscapes.
—Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 25 Jan. 2024
In other words, a pattern that most psychologists have seen as a human universal is instead a product of culture.
—Shinobu Kitayama, Scientific American, 15 May 2023
But his mixed-media tapestries reach past any specific culture and toward the universal.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2023
Vice President Harris, during her presidential primary campaign, articulated a true equal pay proposal, an initiative estimated to inject an additional $180 billion into U.S. coffers–revenue that could be used to offset the cost universal paid and medical leave as well as affordable childcare.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2023
Felker has a knack for narrative detail like the Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, able to tap into the universal through specifics, but instead of the Twin Cities, most of the action takes place in Oklahoma and neighboring states.
—Jon Freeman, Spin, 24 Aug. 2023
Listings are ordered by popularity, the insidious universal of the online world.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 31 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'universal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near universal
Cite this Entry
“Universal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/universal. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
universal
adjective
uni·ver·sal
ˌyü-nə-ˈvər-səl
1
in the civil law of Louisiana
a
: encompassing or burdening all of one's property especially causa mortis
granted him a universal usufruct
see also universal legacy at legacy compare universal title at title
b
: of or relating to a universal conveyance or a conveyance under a universal title
a universal donee
see also universal successor
2
: not confined by limitations or exceptions : general in application
universally
adverb
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