unilateral

American  

[yoo-nuh-lat-er-uhl] / ˌyu nəˈlæt ər əl /

adjective

1. relating to, occurring on, or involving one side only.

   unilateral development; a unilateral approach.

2. undertaken or done by or on behalf of one side, party, or faction only; not mutual.

   a unilateral decision; unilateral disarmament.

3. having only one side or surface; without a reverse side or inside, as a Möbius strip.

4. Law.

   1. pertaining to a contract that can be formed only when the party to whom an offer is made renders the performance for which the offeror bargains.

   2. pertaining to a contract in which obligation rests on only one party, as a binding promise to make a gift.

5. Botany. having all the parts disposed on one side of an axis, as an inflorescence.

6. through forebears of one sex only, as through either the mother's or father's line.

7. Phonetics. (of an l -sound) characterized by passage of air on only one side of the tongue.

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unilateral British  

/ ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl /

adjective

1. of, having, affecting, or occurring on only one side

2. involving or performed by only one party of several

   unilateral disarmament

3. law (of contracts, obligations, etc) made by, affecting, or binding one party only and not involving the other party in reciprocal obligations

4. botany having or designating parts situated or turned to one side of an axis

5. sociol relating to or tracing the line of descent through ancestors of one sex only Compare bilateral

6. phonetics denoting an (l) sound produced on one side of the tongue only

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Other Word Forms

• unilateralism
  noun
• unilaterality
  noun
• unilaterally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of unilateral

From the New Latin word ūnilaterālis, dating back to 1795–1805. See uni-, lateral

Explanation

Unilateral means "one-sided." If parents make a unilateral decision to eliminate summer vacation, it means that the students’ opinions or opposing views weren’t considered. When someone makes a unilateral decision, he or she acts alone, without considering the feelings, opposing opinions or concerns of others. But it’s not always a bad thing to act unilaterally. If you are in a fight with your sister and haven’t spoken to each other for a week, you could choose to do her chores, compliment her or make other unilateral, good-faith efforts to bring the bad feelings to an end.

Example Sentences

Unilateral action can be rationalized as acting because it is too cumbersome to mobilize allies whose interests do not align with one’s own.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

"Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion is absolutely unacceptable, wherever it may be," Mr Kishida said.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2024

Unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of a bank deposit agreement that shorten its term, reduce interest or introduce commissions are a violation of banking laws, the central bank said in a statement.

From Reuters • Jun. 10, 2022

Unilateral and direct action mission often have broad geopolitical consequences that can impact security and diplomatic operations in other countries.

From Time • May 2, 2013

Unilateral hallucinations, an especially interesting class, occur in severe cases of hysteria, and are usually accompanied by hemi-anaesthesia of the body on the side on which the hallucinatory object is perceived. d.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 8 "Haller, Albrecht" to "Harmonium" by Various