general

1 of 2

adjective

gen·​er·​al ˈjen-rəl How to pronounce general (audio)
ˈje-nə-
1
: involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole
2
: involving, relating to, or applicable to every member of a class, kind, or group
the general equation of a straight line
3
: not confined by specialization or careful limitation
a general outline
4
: belonging to the common nature of a group of like individuals : generic
the general characteristics of a species
5
a
: applicable to or characteristic of the majority of individuals involved : prevalent
the general opinion
b
: concerned or dealing with universal rather than particular aspects
6
: relating to, determined by, or concerned with main elements rather than limited details
bearing a general resemblance to the original
7
: holding superior rank or taking precedence over others similarly titled
the general manager

general

2 of 2

noun

1
: something (such as a concept, principle, or statement) that involves or is applicable to the whole
2
3
archaic : the general public : people
4
b
: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps who ranks above a lieutenant general and whose insignia is four stars compare admiral
Phrases
in general
: for the most part : generally
In general, things are going as planned.

Examples of general in a Sentence

Adjective They have issued a general warning. The general consensus is that we should go ahead. The witness was able to provide a very general description of the thief. She began her talk with some general observations about the state of the industry. The book provides a good general introduction to the subject. My concerns are all general—nothing specific. The details of the new plan are different, but it's based on the same general concept. My general impression was that things were going well. They were found in the same general area. I'm going in the general direction of the store.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The new owners plan to invest $10 million over the next five years into Pacific Park’s food and entertainment programs and general operations. Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Granted, this time it’s been both amplified and accelerated, but the general idea remains the same. Angel Diaz, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024 But Shrum’s general observation, on the political power of the small screen, is truer than ever. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 In general, an anti-inflammatory diet like the Mediterranean or DASH diet might keep blood sugar in check, as well. Sarah Garone, Health, 14 Mar. 2024 Major said the association came to the conclusion population would drop because of housing and rent prices and, in general, the higher cost of living in San Diego compared to much of the nation. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 Oil prices have been on a general upswing so far this year, which has helped keep inflation a bit higher than economists expected. Yuri Kageyama, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 The partners collective was part of Salonen’s goal to bring changes and new ideas to the orchestra and to classical music in general. Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Like the new study suggests, Texas has seen general stability in maternal mortality rates in recent years. Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024
Noun
Philippe was nonetheless the careful custodian of his father’s memory, entrusted with the general’s papers and with the family home in northeastern France, at Colombey-les-Deux Églises. Adam Nossiter, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The future of public monuments and educational institutions named after racists and Confederate generals has been a subject of national interest for years now, and Abbott enters this broader dialogue with a clear sense of its own geographic identity. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 The lack of a clear mobilization strategy — or even agreement on how many more troops Ukraine needs — factored into Zelensky’s dismissal of his top general in February, but the new commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrsky, so far has brought no new clarity. Siobhán O'Grady, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024 Buitrago, a Colombian prosecutor, put a number of generals responsible for monstrous human-rights violations in prison. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 But his compulsive need to look like a strong leader surrounded by weak generals and ministers encourages his counterproductive grandstanding. Ehud Barak, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2024 In today’s bull cycle, this leaves Nvidia, Meta and Amazon as the three remaining generals making new highs with the markets. Beth Kindig, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 First, will the two Democrats – Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee – split the remaining Democratic vote and allow Republican Steve Garvey to pull off what would be an upset by California political standards, despite having virtually no chance of winning the general? Douglas Schoen, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 One of the most poignant moments in the entire series comes during Uncle Iroh’s vignette, which features the retired general memorializing his late son, Lu Ten. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'general.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin generalis, from gener-, genus kind, class — more at kin

Noun

derivative of general entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of general was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near general

Cite this Entry

“General.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

general

1 of 2 adjective
gen·​er·​al ˈjen-(ə-)rəl How to pronounce general (audio)
1
: involving, applying to, or affecting the whole : not local or partial
a general election
the general body of citizens
2
: relating to or covering all instances
a general conclusion
3
: not specific or in detail
a general outline
4
: common to many
the general custom here
5
: not special : not specialized
a general store
6
: of top rank
general manager

general

2 of 2 noun
: a military officer with a rank above that of a colonel
especially : an officer with the rank just above that of a lieutenant general

Medical Definition

general

adjective
gen·​er·​al ˈjen-(ə-)rəl How to pronounce general (audio)
1
: not confined by specialization or careful limitation
a general surgeon
2
: belonging to the common nature of a group of like individuals
the general characteristics of a species
3
: involving or affecting practically the entire body or organism : not local
general infirmity

Legal Definition

general

adjective
gen·​er·​al ˈjen-rəl, ˈje-nə- How to pronounce general (audio)
1
: involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole
2
: involving, relating to, or applicable to every member of a class, kind, or group
3
: not confined by specialization or limitation
4
: relating to, determined by, or concerned with main elements rather than limiting details
5
: holding superior rank or taking precedence over others similarly titled
the general manager

More from Merriam-Webster on general

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