The present article addresses the issue of terminology used to identify unilateral means of pressure: unilateral coercive measures, sanctions, unilateral sanctions, bilateral sanctions, international sanctions, autonomous sanctions, sectoral or territorial sanctions, etc. It assesses the legality of various forms of sanctions imposed by states and international organisations without or beyond the authorisation of the UN Security Council, inter alia, as concerns general international law, international economic law, the law of international responsibility, human rights law and international humanitarian law. The article also focuses on extraterritoriality and overcompliance as integral elements of the application of unilateral sanctions and on characteristics of unilateral coercive measures and presents a definition of the latter.