all-purpose

adjective

all-pur·​pose ˈȯl-ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce all-purpose (audio)
Synonyms of all-purposenext
: suited for many purposes or uses

Examples of all-purpose in a Sentence

there's nothing wrong with all-purpose flour for baking bread, but flour with more gluten is better
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then wipe the top and bottom of each blade with a microfiber cloth dampened with all-purpose cleaner. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 May 2026 Hethington swaps the sliced plantain for his own pasta, made primarily with puréed plantains, some tapioca starch and a little bit of all-purpose flour. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026 Use the empty yogurt pot to measure the sugar, almond flour, and all-purpose flour and place in a medium bowl. Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 9 May 2026 To make the pie crust, sift together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt into a food processor, then add the sugar, butter, and shortening. Carole Kotkin, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for all-purpose

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-purpose was in 1867

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-purpose. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

all-purpose

adjective
all-pur·​pose
-ˈpər-pəs
: suitable for many uses
an all-purpose tool

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