as in explicit
so clearly expressed as to leave no doubt about the meaning
those who believe that the language of the Bible is univocal: it is never metaphorical but intended to be taken literally
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Recent Examples of univocal
Similarly, the dozens of people whom Greaves interviews in the film aren’t delivering a single and univocal history of the Harlem Renaissance but a polyphonic transmission of it.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
At a press event this week, the new Paramount leadership expressed their univocal support for theatrical movies.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
An understanding of user diversity is often unexplored territory for brands, requiring a shift from univocal to multi-frequency communication that constantly and comprehensively reignites connection with targets, drawing them in and reaffirming values, proving to be a true asset.
—Fairchild Studio, WWD, 26 Nov. 2024
Her inability to distill a message from her show is a testament not so much to Jane’s insufficient writerly chops as to the challenge of wringing out a univocal meaning from biracial America.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024
Today’s political mainstream consists of a rising univocal, powerful, and intolerant pro-war movement for which the invasion is existential.
—Tatiana Stanovaya, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2022
Yet, as with almost everything Shostakovich wrote, the score defeats a univocal interpretation, its classical four-movement structure interlaced with political, personal, and purely musical messages.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2022
Who Lived Her Songs—Cash greatly complicates the popcult caricature of country music as a univocal genre of jingoist belligerence and boosterism, as exemplified by Toby Keith, Daryl Worley, Hank Williams Jr., and the late-career Charlie Daniels.
—Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 7 Dec. 2021
But the narrative emerging from key players in the Arab world for which Tunisia’s Arab Spring legacy presents a clear challenge — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt — was far more univocal: The events in Tunisia marked the death knell for political Islam in democracy.
—Washington Post, 27 July 2021
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2025
At a press event this week, the new Paramount leadership expressed their univocal support for theatrical movies.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
An understanding of user diversity is often unexplored territory for brands, requiring a shift from univocal to multi-frequency communication that constantly and comprehensively reignites connection with targets, drawing them in and reaffirming values, proving to be a true asset.
—Fairchild Studio, WWD, 26 Nov. 2024
Her inability to distill a message from her show is a testament not so much to Jane’s insufficient writerly chops as to the challenge of wringing out a univocal meaning from biracial America.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024
Today’s political mainstream consists of a rising univocal, powerful, and intolerant pro-war movement for which the invasion is existential.
—Tatiana Stanovaya, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2022
Yet, as with almost everything Shostakovich wrote, the score defeats a univocal interpretation, its classical four-movement structure interlaced with political, personal, and purely musical messages.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2022
Who Lived Her Songs—Cash greatly complicates the popcult caricature of country music as a univocal genre of jingoist belligerence and boosterism, as exemplified by Toby Keith, Daryl Worley, Hank Williams Jr., and the late-career Charlie Daniels.
—Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 7 Dec. 2021
But the narrative emerging from key players in the Arab world for which Tunisia’s Arab Spring legacy presents a clear challenge — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt — was far more univocal: The events in Tunisia marked the death knell for political Islam in democracy.
—Washington Post, 27 July 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for univocal
Adjective
-
Some House Republicans had tried to insert explicit language for the project in a spending bill earlier in the year regarding immigration operations.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Wassim Nasr, a Sahel specialist and senior research fellow at the Soufan Center security think tank, said that the coordination between the two groups, as well as the explicit call for the Russian military to leave, is new.—
Wilson Mcmakin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a definite dichotomy between upstairs and downstairs.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The superstars dueled throughout to the delight of a sellout crowd that had their definite favorites.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
According to the company, a significant share of the items requested for express delivery are everyday essentials, including water, produce and household necessities.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The El Dorado Hills restaurant is one of Gold Dust Pizza’s express locations, meaning it’s set up for to-go orders.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The focal point of Monday's case is the Fourth Amendment's ban on unreasonable searches of people, their homes, papers, and effects, unless police obtain a warrant issued by a neutral magistrate, and aimed at obtaining specific evidence of a crime.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Supima now uses isotopic profiling, which is a method that analyzes the naturally occurring trace elements in a fiber to verify its specific point of origin.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
State Republican lawmakers didn’t offer definitive assessments of the map on Monday.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The story behind sports’ most universal gesture is a genuine historical mystery with at least two credible origin claims, a handful of murkier ones and no definitive answer.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Univocal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/univocal. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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