as in explicit
so clearly expressed as to leave no doubt about the meaning
those who believe that the language of the Bible is univocal: it is never metaphorical but intended to be taken literally
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Recent Examples of univocal
An understanding of user diversity is often unexplored territory for brands, requiring a shift from univocal to multi-frequency communication that constantly and comprehensively reignites connection with targets, drawing them in and reaffirming values, proving to be a true asset.
—
Fairchild Studio, WWD, 26 Nov. 2024
Her inability to distill a message from her show is a testament not so much to Jane’s insufficient writerly chops as to the challenge of wringing out a univocal meaning from biracial America.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024
Today’s political mainstream consists of a rising univocal, powerful, and intolerant pro-war movement for which the invasion is existential.
—Tatiana Stanovaya, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2022
But the narrative emerging from key players in the Arab world for which Tunisia’s Arab Spring legacy presents a clear challenge — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt — was far more univocal: The events in Tunisia marked the death knell for political Islam in democracy.
—Washington Post, 27 July 2021
Yet, as with almost everything Shostakovich wrote, the score defeats a univocal interpretation, its classical four-movement structure interlaced with political, personal, and purely musical messages.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2022
Who Lived Her Songs—Cash greatly complicates the popcult caricature of country music as a univocal genre of jingoist belligerence and boosterism, as exemplified by Toby Keith, Daryl Worley, Hank Williams Jr., and the late-career Charlie Daniels.
—Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 7 Dec. 2021
To be sure, a great deal of Irish verse during the 1910s and 1920s, univocal ‘in the intensity and wrath of [its] invective,’ lacked the rhetorical nuance of Yeats’ Modernism.
—Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes, 20 May 2021
According to the Morgans, the House of Commons allowed no American petition to be read into the record and debated, on the grounds of a univocal recoil, by the Commons, from the Americans’ assertion of the right of representation.
—William Hogeland, The New Republic, 25 Jan. 2021
Fairchild Studio, WWD, 26 Nov. 2024
Her inability to distill a message from her show is a testament not so much to Jane’s insufficient writerly chops as to the challenge of wringing out a univocal meaning from biracial America.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2024
Today’s political mainstream consists of a rising univocal, powerful, and intolerant pro-war movement for which the invasion is existential.
—Tatiana Stanovaya, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2022
But the narrative emerging from key players in the Arab world for which Tunisia’s Arab Spring legacy presents a clear challenge — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt — was far more univocal: The events in Tunisia marked the death knell for political Islam in democracy.
—Washington Post, 27 July 2021
Yet, as with almost everything Shostakovich wrote, the score defeats a univocal interpretation, its classical four-movement structure interlaced with political, personal, and purely musical messages.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2022
Who Lived Her Songs—Cash greatly complicates the popcult caricature of country music as a univocal genre of jingoist belligerence and boosterism, as exemplified by Toby Keith, Daryl Worley, Hank Williams Jr., and the late-career Charlie Daniels.
—Chris Lehmann, The New Republic, 7 Dec. 2021
To be sure, a great deal of Irish verse during the 1910s and 1920s, univocal ‘in the intensity and wrath of [its] invective,’ lacked the rhetorical nuance of Yeats’ Modernism.
—Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes, 20 May 2021
According to the Morgans, the House of Commons allowed no American petition to be read into the record and debated, on the grounds of a univocal recoil, by the Commons, from the Americans’ assertion of the right of representation.
—William Hogeland, The New Republic, 25 Jan. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for univocal
Adjective
-
The precise limits of how much Congress may delegate this power to the executive are unclear—indeed, the Supreme Court in last term's Loper Bright v. Raimondo seemed to give wide latitude for Congress to make explicit, flexible delegations to the executive.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2025
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But what Justice Barrett was asking specifically, is whether there is a history of de jure—meaning explicit, government sanctioned—discrimination against transgender people.—
Chase Strangio,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But there are definite positives for Tsunoda to take before going to Bahrain next week.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
-
While some bags can go in the washer, the dryer is a definite no-go for bags unless they're made of 100% cotton.—
Katelyn Squiers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Ian later realized that the 20-odd people who had created the ruckus had come to the concert for the express purpose of intimidating her.—
Jeremy Helligar,
People.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
The Tax Court relied heavily on the express allocation in the settlement agreement, and was inclined to agree with the taxpayer that these were sale proceeds and capital gain.—
Robert W. Wood,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The president revealed that the U.S. will place additional tariffs on specific countries, for example China, which have benefited from large trade surpluses with the U.S.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Ryan Coogler brings so much style to this very cool blend of a specific period, genres, and Black culture.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Crypto Confidential: Forbes' definitive guide to crypto and blockchain, delivered to your inbox every Saturday.—
Javier Bastardo,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Technologies can provide a secure record of transactions and other methodologies offer definitive origin verification.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Univocal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/univocal. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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