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
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Recent Examples of universal
Longtime smartphone reporter Roland Quandt has details on pricing in Sweden, and if the changes are universal will disappoint many.
—
Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Still, workplace norms aren’t universal.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Slowness doesn’t need to be universal to be effective.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The negativity wasn’t universal across Wall Street.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for universal
Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Still, workplace norms aren’t universal.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Slowness doesn’t need to be universal to be effective.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The negativity wasn’t universal across Wall Street.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for universal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for universal
Adjective
-
These versatile salves might serve to treat a burn, as a facial cosmetic, or as a hair conditioner in a pinch.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Of course not, as Butler’s blend of savvy scoring, versatile defense and underrated playmaking make up a rare package few possess.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That summer, the NYAG’s general counsel finally found an objectionable line in one of Goldis’s blog posts, titled Free to Ban.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The team announced Thursday night that Ian Cunningham, 40, who started his career as a personnel assistant with the Baltimore Ravens, is their new general manager.—
D. Orlando Ledbetter,
AJC.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The company is preparing a comprehensive debt restructuring after authorities asked it to submit a plan as soon as possible, people familiar with the matter said in early January.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
There was no comprehensive catalog, no index.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Maybe Minnesota will prove to be the state where our politicians worked the hardest, lost the most face, while trying to hold the now ubiquitous ideology of violent American capitalism at bay.—
Ed Bok Lee,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Life without a smartphone may seem unimaginable, but AI giants are planning to put the ubiquitous gadget on the scrapheap.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The adaptable dining and lounging areas offer enough room for up to 12 seafarers.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Also, be flexible and adaptable with your plans.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Today’s generic LLMs, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and others, are not at all akin to the robust capabilities of human therapists.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The report goes further, explaining that most failures stem not from the models themselves, but from poor integration into real workflows, overreliance on generic tools, and a tendency for companies to treat AI as a standalone experiment rather than embedding it into core operations.—
Michael Wystrach,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Big Think reaches a global audience that uses our content to teach, learn, and lead.—
Daphne Koller,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
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Some analysts pointed to how government bonds have lost some of their traditional appeal as a safe haven amid swelling debt burdens, as seen in recent global bond selloff movements.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There will most likely be icy spots on the roads Wednesday morning, along with widespread areas of patchy freezing fog, which may cause some light ice accumulation.—
Michael Autovino,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Universal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/universal. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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