Unanimity

Simple meaning

Unanimity means everyone agrees — not most people, but every single person in the group.

Detailed meaning

When a group reaches unanimity, there is zero disagreement. Every voice said yes. Every person voted the same way. It is the strongest form of agreement possible.

You will often see this word in:

• Court verdicts (especially jury decisions)
• Board meetings and committee votes
• International agreements and treaties

The word comes from Latin roots:

• uni = one (as in universe, one world; unicycle, one wheel)
• animus = mind or spirit

So unanimity literally means "one mind." Everyone is thinking the same thing.

Word forms:

• Unanimity (noun) — the state of complete agreement
• Unanimous (adjective) — describes a vote or decision where everyone agreed: "a unanimous vote"
• Unanimously (adverb) — describes how something was decided: "the board voted unanimously"

Common phrases:

• "With unanimity" — "The council approved it with unanimity."
• "Reach unanimity" — "After hours of discussion, the jury finally reached unanimity."

Where to use it

• Legal and formal settings — "The verdict required unanimity from all twelve jurors."
• Workplace and governance — "The board approved the merger with unanimity — every director voted yes."
• Formal writing and journalism — "There was a rare unanimity among critics that the film was extraordinary."

Where not to use it

Do not use unanimity when most people agree but not all — that is a majority, not unanimity. If even one person disagrees, you cannot use this word. It is also a formal word — in casual conversation, "we all agreed" feels far more natural than "we reached unanimity."

5 example sentences

1. The jury deliberated for two days before reaching unanimity — the defendant was acquitted.
2. Achieving unanimity among ten strong-willed board members was something nobody had expected.
3. The chairperson announced the result: complete unanimity on the proposed budget.
4. In a room full of competing opinions, unanimity is rare — and when it happens, it is worth pausing to notice.
5. The team voted unanimously to postpone the launch — not one person thought the product was ready.

Common mistakes

Similar & opposite words

Similar (synonyms)

Opposite (antonyms)

Memory trick

A short story to remember it

The ten council members had argued for weeks. The budget proposal had divided them into two camps, and every meeting ended in conflict.

Then, on a quiet Tuesday evening, something shifted. One councillor stood up and said something honest — something everyone in the room had been feeling but had not said aloud.

The chairperson called for a vote.

One by one, every hand went up.

She smiled. "We have unanimity," she said.

It was the first time in five years that every voice in that room had said yes.

"Unanimity is not the absence of different opinions — it is the moment everyone finds the same truth."

Practice quiz

Summary

Unanimity means complete, total agreement — every single person in the group said yes. It is stronger than consensus, which allows for partial agreement. The adjective form is unanimous ("a unanimous vote"); the adverb is unanimously ("the board voted unanimously"). Use it in formal, legal, and professional contexts — not casual conversation. If even one person dissents or abstains, unanimity is broken.