unilateral
Done by one person or group without input from others
Examples
In a meeting
“That was a unilateral decision from leadership without team consultation.”
Over coffee
“He made a unilateral choice to cancel our plans without checking with me.”
Why this word
one-sided
Unilateral emphasizes action by one party alone without agreement, while one-sided suggests imbalance or bias
independent
Unilateral stresses acting alone when others are affected, while independent simply means without external control
solo
Unilateral implies disregard for other stakeholders, while solo is neutral about whether others should be involved
Usage tip
Use to describe decisions made independently, often implying lack of collaboration
Etymology
Latin: uni- (one) + lateralis (of a side)
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