all-around

adjective

ˌȯl-ə-ˈrau̇nd 

variants or less commonly all-round

ˈȯl-ˈrau̇nd 

1

: considered in or encompassing all aspects : comprehensive

the best all-around performance so far

2

: competent in many fields

an all-around performer

3

: having general utility or merit

an all-around tool

all around adverb

Synonyms of all-around

• unlimited
• general
• unrestricted

Examples of all-around in a Sentence

an all-around garden rake that adjusts for any raking task, from raking lawns to delicate flower beds

this saw has the top rating for all-around performance, but for small detail work it might not be your best choice

an all-around player, as skilled on the pitcher's mound as he is at the batting plate

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, the one player who makes the best argument for being the best all-around player is Stewart, and she’s largely faded from the conversation because of what players like Miles, Clark and Mitchell are doing on offense. — Shakeia Taylor, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

The death of country music, movie, theme park and, frankly, all-around icon Dolly Parton hit a lot of people hard. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026

Dell 24 All-In-One Desktop Labor Day Deal Dell's all-in-one desktops are solid all-around PCs that are great for families, with simple setup and big screens. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2026

Portraying a character who is an all-around gentleman was the biggest challenge for Skarsgård. — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for all-around

• aboveground
• battleground
• belowground
• paperbound
• turnaround
• ultrasound
• underground
• wraparound
• abound
• aground
• around
• astound

Kids Definition

all-around

adjective

ˌȯ-lə-ˈrau̇nd

variants also all-round

1

: considered as a whole or including all parts

the best all-around performance so far

2

: good in many fields

an all-around athlete

3

: having general usefulness

all-around tools

all around adverb