From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishunilateralu‧ni‧lat‧e‧ral /ˌjuːnəˈlætərəl◂/ ●○○ adjective formal PGa unilateral action or decision is done by only one of the groups involved in a situation → bilateral, multilateral a unilateral declaration of independenceunilateral disarmament (=when one country gets rid of its own nuclear weapons without waiting for other countries to do the same) —unilateralism noun [uncountable] —unilaterally adverb
Examples from the Corpus
unilateral• a unilateral ban on landmines• Nobody really expected that the announcement of a unilateral cease-fire would bring an immediate end to the fighting.• We felt that there can be no question of fairness when the law effectively endorses unilateral decision.• They are a unilateral declaration by the man that he need not trouble about the formalities expected between non-intimates.• Brain tumors or large arteriovenous malformations can occasionally cause unilateral head or facial pain.• The child increasingly is capable of evaluating arguments rather than simply accepting preformed unilateral ideas.• There is little cooperation in the social sense-there is only obedience, or unilateral respect.• The United States should also take unilateral steps to show Mr Fujimori his conduct has a price.unilateral disarmament• Not so long ago Mr Kinnock was strongly committed to unilateral disarmament.• The executive is recommending rejection of a motion calling for unilateral disarmament.• This was solved by the nuclear genes enforcing their preference for peace through unilateral disarmament.• Here Mr Kinnock should set out clearly why, in the Gorbachev era, negotiated rather than unilateral disarmament is almost always preferable.From Longman Business Dictionaryunilateralu‧ni‧lat‧e‧ral /ˌjuːnəˈlætərəl◂/ adjective a unilateral action or decision is done or made by only one of the groups involved in a situationIn the 19th-century, Britain announced and largely followed a policy of unilateral free trade. —unilateralism noun [uncountable] —unilaterally adverbThe president suggested that interest payments on commercial debt would be unilaterally suspended (=stopped for a period of time without the agreement of lenders). 