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
Yun Sun, Foreign Affairs, 6 Feb. 2025
In 1991, Bush and his Secretary of State James Baker also welcomed Palestinians to the multilateral Madrid conference, the first face-to-face meeting between Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
—Peter L. Hahn / Made By History, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025
Roosevelt defined the national interest in global terms—in the preservation of a multilateral order that made the world safe for capitalism and liberal democracy.
—Michael Brenes, Foreign Affairs, 28 Jan. 2025
Alongside strengthening Japan-U.S. ties—long regarded by Tokyo as the cornerstone of its foreign and security policies—Ishiba aims to advance multilateral partnerships.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Multilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/multilateral. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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multilateral
adjective
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