multilateral
adjective
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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
Anthony Scaramucci, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Between 2013 and 2019, the Gates Foundation provided $8 million in grants to the International Peace Institute (IPI), a think tank that works closely with the United Nations and is focused on multilateral approaches to global peace and security.
—Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Trump has never appreciated multilateral alliances and organizations, preferring their bilateral counterparts instead.
—Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026
Neoconservatism was also fueled by contempt for diplomacy and multilateral organizations like the United Nations, and a sense that a decadent America would be reinvigorated by international aggression.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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multilateral
adjective
