unilaterally

American  

[yoo-nuh-lat-er-uh-lee] / ˌju nəˈlæt ər ə li /

adverb

1. involving, done by, or decided by only one person, side, party, or faction.

   Instead of bargaining with teachers and public service workers, the governor and the legislature have unilaterally reduced pension and health benefits.

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Etymology

Origin of unilaterally

unilateral ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

Doing something unilaterally means it's done without the agreement or participation of other people it might affect. A dad might decide unilaterally to take his family to Indiana for summer vacation, without asking them where they'd like to go. You're most likely to come across the word unilaterally in a news report, since it's often used to describe actions taken by governments. If one country unilaterally launches an attack on another, it means the country's government does not consult groups like the United Nations or other affected countries before making the decision to attack. The Latin root, unilateralis, combines the prefix uni, or "one," with latus, "side," to make a word that means "one-sided."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unilaterally

Ben Sulayem has threatened to impose his wishes unilaterally for 2031, because at that point the FIA is free to do what it likes as the teams' contracts all expire in 2030.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

Second, as a manufacturer cannot change EPA-approved labeling unilaterally, complying with both state and federal law would be impossible, preempting state suits.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

I mean, think about this: In 1991 and 1992 the Russian and U.S. leaders unilaterally, on their own, got rid of thousands and thousands of nuclear weapons just by agreeing to.

From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026

It isn’t clear if Hegseth recommended the names of the naval officers be removed or if he stripped them unilaterally.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026

During a state visit to Washington early in the new year, British prime minister Anthony Eden proposed that the United States and Great Britain unilaterally suspend testing.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik