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
Melissa McCracken, The Conversation, 18 Mar. 2025
The second option, which is also ambitious but likely more feasible, is a regional LAC multilateral carbon tax treaty that could either harmonize tax treatment of carbon across the region or create a minimum floor for the taxation of activities that generate carbon emissions.
—Nana Ama Sarfo, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Editors’ Picks How to Look Original The World Bank, created in 1944 to rebuild postwar Europe, is the world’s largest multilateral lender.
—Max Bearak, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
House Democrats launched a multilateral effort Wednesday to combat the flood of executive actions from President Trump, vowing to punch back through legislation, lawsuits and a blitz of counter-messaging.
—Mike Lillis, The Hill, 29 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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multilateral
adjective
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