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
Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
In 2009, the Obama administration led an effort to terminate the Doha Round—a multilateral trade negotiation under the World Trade Organization launched in 2001.
—Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 25 Mar. 2025
What the world might see, Cutler said, is that countries might turn to multilateral trade agreements, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025
Dispensing with the annoying niceties of multilateral partnerships and foreign aid brings a kind of clarity to international relations, showing where the real muscle is, like a strip-down before a wrestling match.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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multilateral
adjective
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