all-Amer·i·can
ˌȯl-ə-ˈmer-ə-kən 
-ˈme-rə-
1
a
or less commonly all-America
ˌȯl-ə-ˈmer-ə-kə
: selected (as by a poll of journalists) as one of the best in the U.S. in a particular category at a particular time
-ˈme-rə-
an all-American quarterback
b
: having only all-American participants
an all-American basketball team
2
: composed wholly of American elements
3
: representative or typical of the U.S. or its ideals
an all-American boy
her all-American optimism
4
: of or relating to the American nations as a group
1
or less commonly all-America
: one (such as an athlete) that is voted all-American
2
: one that has all-American qualities or characteristics
a clean-cut all-American
Examples of all-American in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024
She was born with the all-American name of Nancy Stoll on August 25, 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland.
—Daniel Scheffler, SPIN, 1 Apr. 2024
Eventually, though, the chain’s all-American, homestyle fare, often served in family-size portions, fell out of step with tastes.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
As these vintage Bon Appétit recipes show, the all-American ham has been worthy of our devotion for decades, and if the tradition ain’t broke, there’s really no reason to change it.
—Joe Sevier, Bon Appétit, 28 Mar. 2024
There’s as much conviction to Hathaway’s proud black-widow blend of decorum and hostility — evoking, in her best moments, Joan Crawford at her most tragically acidic — as there is to Chastain’s unraveling all-American decency.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
Biden gets to promote green tech while also propping up an all-American, job-creating industry.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024
Indeed, the premiere promises all-American barbeques and dads playing golf, as well as introducing Cruz, Taylor and Cartwright’s 2-year-old son.
—Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024
Willy Chavarria borrowed its plaids and houndstooths and juxtaposed them against nods to Western and Chicano all-American fashion.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024
oregonlive, 23 Mar. 2023
As in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986), a young man descends into a twilight zone behind an explicitly all-American façade.
—Ed Park, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2023
Helen Hayes Award nominee Lauren Weinberg brings all the va-va-voom to vixen Lola and newcomer Jeffrey Keller is a star in the making as all-American Joe Hardy.
—Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2023
These include balconies, roof decks, and the all-American picket fence.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2023
Buick invented the all-American GT coupe, and Americans loved it.
—Don Sherman, Car and Driver, 8 Mar. 2023
Tampa, Florida – The beloved Cuban sandwich is a delicious all-American culinary creation first served in Tampa, Florida, more than a century ago, according to proud local lore.
—Fox News, 28 Feb. 2023
There's no greater all-American road trip than one that travels along iconic Route 66—also known as U.S. Highway 66, the Mother Road (courtesy of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath), or the Main Street of America.
—Stefanie Waldek, Country Living, 24 Feb. 2023
Maxim Shmakov While Ali frames her stressors as common to the immigrant experience, there’s something very all-American, and generationally specific, about the chasm between what we were promised and what is happening around us in real-time.
—Nina St. Pierre, ELLE, 17 Feb. 2023
Adjective
The other players voted to the 12-man all-American team are: Anthony Roy (Langston, Okla.); Samaje Morgan (College of Idaho); Cevin Clark (Southwestern Kansas); Javan Buchanan (Indiana Wesleyan); Vincent Miszkiewicz (Keiser, Fla.); Jonathan Brown (Cumberlands, Ky.).
—Randy Covitz, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024
She was born with the all-American name of Nancy Stoll on August 25, 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland.
—Daniel Scheffler, SPIN, 1 Apr. 2024
Eventually, though, the chain’s all-American, homestyle fare, often served in family-size portions, fell out of step with tastes.
—Emily Heil, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
As these vintage Bon Appétit recipes show, the all-American ham has been worthy of our devotion for decades, and if the tradition ain’t broke, there’s really no reason to change it.
—Joe Sevier, Bon Appétit, 28 Mar. 2024
There’s as much conviction to Hathaway’s proud black-widow blend of decorum and hostility — evoking, in her best moments, Joan Crawford at her most tragically acidic — as there is to Chastain’s unraveling all-American decency.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024
Biden gets to promote green tech while also propping up an all-American, job-creating industry.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024
Indeed, the premiere promises all-American barbeques and dads playing golf, as well as introducing Cruz, Taylor and Cartwright’s 2-year-old son.
—Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Mar. 2024
Willy Chavarria borrowed its plaids and houndstooths and juxtaposed them against nods to Western and Chicano all-American fashion.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024
Noun
Cole recalled this time as a stab at conventional all-American life – at least on the surface.
—oregonlive, 23 Mar. 2023
As in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986), a young man descends into a twilight zone behind an explicitly all-American façade.
—Ed Park, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2023
Helen Hayes Award nominee Lauren Weinberg brings all the va-va-voom to vixen Lola and newcomer Jeffrey Keller is a star in the making as all-American Joe Hardy.
—Sun Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2023
These include balconies, roof decks, and the all-American picket fence.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2023
Buick invented the all-American GT coupe, and Americans loved it.
—Don Sherman, Car and Driver, 8 Mar. 2023
Tampa, Florida – The beloved Cuban sandwich is a delicious all-American culinary creation first served in Tampa, Florida, more than a century ago, according to proud local lore.
—Fox News, 28 Feb. 2023
There's no greater all-American road trip than one that travels along iconic Route 66—also known as U.S. Highway 66, the Mother Road (courtesy of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath), or the Main Street of America.
—Stefanie Waldek, Country Living, 24 Feb. 2023
Maxim Shmakov While Ali frames her stressors as common to the immigrant experience, there’s something very all-American, and generationally specific, about the chasm between what we were promised and what is happening around us in real-time.
—Nina St. Pierre, ELLE, 17 Feb. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'all-American.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near all-American
Cite this Entry
“All-American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-American. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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