generally

adverb

gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-rə-lē 

ˈje-nə-, 

ˈje-nər-lē

: in a general manner: such as

a

: in disregard of specific instances and with regard to an overall picture

generally speaking

b

: as a rule : usually

Synonyms of generally

• usually
• normally
• typically

Examples of generally in a Sentence

He talked generally about his plans.

I had a generally good day.

It generally takes about a month for the shipment to arrive.

When stocks are up, bonds are generally down.

This town is generally regarded as a good place to raise kids.

Recent Examples on the Web

Russia’s submarine fleet is generally considered a formidable force, far superior to the surface vessels Moscow operates. —MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Nov. 2025

Apple pie may be slightly lower in sugar, although neither type of pie is generally considered low-sugar. —Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 22 Nov. 2025

The Paris Agreement is built around temperature increases compared with an unspecified preindustrial baseline, generally taken as the latter half of the 19th century. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 Nov. 2025

Unlike at private schools, most public school teachers are unionized, and teachers unions generally back Democrats. —Arkansas Online, 22 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing generally

• generally speaking

Kids Definition

generally

adverb

gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-(ə-)rə-lē 

ˈjen-ər-lē

1

: for the most part

generally speaking

2

: as a rule : usually