Meaning & use
unilateral
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Done by one person, group, or country alone, without the agreement or involvement of others.
Grammar: Typically used before a noun: a unilateral decision. Can also be used after a linking verb: The move was unilateral.
Patterns
- unilateral decision
- unilateral action
- unilateral declaration
- unilateral move
The president made a unilateral decision to withdraw from the treaty.
The company announced a unilateral change to the employees' contracts.
Such a unilateral approach risks alienating allies.
adjectivebefore a nounmedicalspecialist
Affecting only one side of the body or occurring on one side.
Grammar: Used before a noun in medical contexts: unilateral hearing loss.
Patterns
- unilateral pain
- unilateral hearing loss
- unilateral paralysis
The patient complained of unilateral pain in her left leg.
Unilateral hearing loss can be caused by an infection.
Common combinations
- unilateral decision
- The board's unilateral decision surprised the shareholders.
- unilateral action
- The country took unilateral action without consulting its allies.
- unilateral declaration
- The unilateral declaration of independence was not recognized internationally.
- unilateral move
- The unilateral move to raise tariffs angered trading partners.
- unilateral ceasefire
- The rebels announced a unilateral ceasefire.
Synonyms and how they differ
- one-sided
- One-sided can mean unfair or biased, while unilateral simply means done by one party without others' agreement.
- independent
- Independent emphasizes not being controlled by others, whereas unilateral emphasizes acting alone without consultation.
Opposites
Word family
- unilaterally adverb
- In a unilateral manner; without consulting others.
- unilateralism noun
- The policy or practice of acting unilaterally, especially in foreign affairs.
Commonly confused: unilateral or bilateral?
unilateral vs bilateral
Bilateral means involving two parties, while unilateral means involving only one. For example, a bilateral agreement is between two countries.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'unilateral' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Unilateral means done by one party alone, so 'a unilateral decision without asking anyone' fits. 'A unilateral agreement' is contradictory because an agreement involves at least two parties. 'He unilateral the contract' is wrong because unilateral is an adjective, not a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unilateral”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.