multilateral
adjective
Did you know?
Since lateral means "side", multilateral means basically "many-sided". The philosophy of multilateralism claims that the best solutions generally result when as many of the world's nations as possible are involved in discussions, and multilateralists often favor strengthening the United Nations. Today multilateralism can be seen at work in, for example, the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and the International Criminal Court. But the U.S. doesn't always join the major multilateral organizations, instead often behaving as if a unilateral approach—that is, going it alone—was best for the interests of a powerful nation.
Examples of multilateral in a Sentence
Bright Simons, semafor.com, 9 June 2025
In the aftermath of World War II, the United States led a process to create a set of economic rules that promoted an open, multilateral trading order.
—Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
These priority interconnection projects, once completed, will achieve greater power grid interconnectivity within the region as a basis to expand multilateral power trading efforts.
—Allan Marks, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Under this arrangement, uranium enrichment would be conducted by a multilateral organization consisting of several Middle Eastern nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for multilateral
Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
multilateral
adjective
Share