universally
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of universally
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at universal, -ly
Explanation
Use the adverb universally to emphasize that something is done — or felt, or believed — in every single case. If your new haircut is universally loved, it means that everyone, everywhere — with no exceptions — is a fan of your super short bangs. You might also describe getting a filling at the dentist as universally disliked, or a brilliant sunny day as universally cheering after a week of rain. The root is Latin, the word universalis, "of or belonging to all," which in turn comes from universus, "whole or entire." When a feeling or belief belongs to everyone, everywhere, it is held universally.
Vocabulary lists containing universally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, the review highlights mounting evidence that senescent cells are not universally harmful.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
LOS ANGELES—Spencer Pratt knows he doesn’t need to be universally liked.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
Whether those figures are universally true throughout the nonprofit sector is unclear as 2025 grant data reported to the Internal Revenue Service isn’t fully available yet.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
And who can forget Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” being almost universally panned six weeks before its June 2024 drop?
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
So if sumo wrestlers, schoolteachers, and day-care parents all cheat, are we to assume that mankind is innately and universally corrupt?
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
