1
as in versatile
able to do many different kinds of things
a universal wrench
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in general
belonging or relating to the whole
mankind's universal need for affection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in comprehensive
covering everything or all important points
the genius of Leonardo da Vinci was universal: he was an artist, an architect, an engineer, and a scientist, among other things
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in ubiquitous
present in all places and at all times
after the home team won the national championship, throughout the city a sense of pride was as universal as the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of universal
Though the legislation is supported by the White House, the fate of a vote in the House of Representatives is less certain at the moment, given the lack of universal support among Republicans in that chamber as conservatives have pushed back over a provision related to digital currency.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Everyone was just staggered by events — gobsmacked — and there was near universal agreement that what was happening in Afghanistan was a fiasco of historic proportions.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2026
Assembly Bill 2011 passed the legislature with near universal support.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Jiro tells a universal story about family, passion, and ambition that will be recognizable to anyone who’s ever had parents.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for universal
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
Everyone was just staggered by events — gobsmacked — and there was near universal agreement that what was happening in Afghanistan was a fiasco of historic proportions.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2026
Assembly Bill 2011 passed the legislature with near universal support.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026
Jiro tells a universal story about family, passion, and ambition that will be recognizable to anyone who’s ever had parents.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for universal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for universal
Adjective
-
Changing climate conditions, along with standard run-of-the-mill challenges that arise from dealing with animals, requires a new generation of farmers who are versatile and resilient.—
Anthony Pahnke,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Radishes are a versatile vegetable that deserve a moment to shine.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Geopolitics aside, this news is a huge deal for the BCIs in general.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood The Dodgers’ Andrew Friedman gets all the attention and accolades as being one of the smartest and most successful general managers in sports, and deservedly so.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The donation will also support research initiatives advancing precision medicine approaches including studies of treatment response, comprehensive molecular profiling to personalize therapy and the application of artificial intelligence to detect trends that can guide more effective care.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Evanston publishes easily accessible comprehensive financial information on its website, including bills lists, debt information and salaries.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This bright, healthy and sweet-tart salad was inspired by one of the ubiquitous features of Death Valley National Park – the prickly pear.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Overnight Oats The most hands-off breakfast on this list, and one of the most adaptable.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Plants that are adaptable to a variety of growing conditions are easier to site in the garden without the need to amend soil, and drought-tolerant selections mean fewer days dragging hoses through the yard.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The bill does not restore coverage for Biktarvy, the most popular once-a-day pill, and other medications will be switched to their generic versions.—
Ana Goñi-Lessan,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
That was a fairly generic paragraph to open an article about reading.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Now, effects from the fresh conflict in the Middle East are rippling across the region, further fragmenting a once efficient and finely tuned global aviation network.—
Zach Levitt,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In the future, Doral Hydrogen is also looking to replicate this off-grid model across its 1 GW global portfolio by proving that H2Pro’s hardware can handle the flicker of solar power without breaking.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If the fog becomes more widespread, a Dense Fog Advisory may be needed.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
-
More widespread thunderstorms are expected late Tuesday into early Wednesday, March 11, according to the NWS.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Universal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/universal. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
