universally
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
by everyone in the world or by everyone in a specific group.
by all people or in all cases; indicating a consensus or a global application.
Simple“The film was universally loved by both children and adults.”
In context“The theory was universally accepted by the scientific community after the results were replicated in several independent laboratories.”
UsageOften used to modify adjectives like 'accepted', 'recognised', or 'loved' to show total agreement.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
in every situation or for every person, without any exceptions.
in a manner that applies to all members of a class or to the whole of a system.
Simple“These rules do not apply universally to every single business.”
In context“Philosophers have long debated whether certain moral principles can be applied universally across different cultures and historical eras.”
UsageFrequently appears in academic or philosophical contexts when discussing laws or principles.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage universally accept · universally apply
“Not surprisingly, there is no equivalent universally accepted cannabis test that can say: this person is currently too impaired to fly.”
“Maybe while men’s and women’s friendships may differ in specifics, the benefits people gain from these relationships are things that are universally valued and prioritized.”
From Middle English universally; equivalent to universal + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.