general

1 of 2

adjective

gen·er·al ˈjen-rəl

ˈje-nə-

Synonyms of general next

: involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole

: involving, relating to, or applicable to every member of a class, kind, or group

the general equation of a straight line

: not confined by specialization or careful limitation

a general outline

: belonging to the common nature of a group of like individuals : generic

the general characteristics of a species

: applicable to or characteristic of the majority of individuals involved : prevalent

the general opinion

: concerned or dealing with universal rather than particular aspects

: relating to, determined by, or concerned with main elements rather than limited details

bearing a general resemblance to the original

: holding superior rank or taking precedence over others similarly titled

the general manager

general

2 of 2

noun

: something (such as a concept, principle, or statement) that involves or is applicable to the whole

: superior general

archaic : the general public : people

: general officer

: 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.

Example Sentences

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Court games in general go hand-in-hand with a healthier life, according to the Tennis Association, a fact that may help to boost their popularity. —

Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2023 But in general, after years of standing out, finding Tall Club was a relief. —

Lane Sainty, The Arizona Republic, 28 May 2023 In general, only the work of humans—or groups of humans, such as corporations—can be copyrighted. —

Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 27 May 2023 The labor market is already causing applications for seasonal firefighting jobs to plunge across the government this year, said Warner Vanderheuel, a firefighter based in northern Michigan who is general vice president of the National Federation of Federal Employees’ Forest Service Council. —

Lisa Rein, Anchorage Daily News, 27 May 2023 In general, Montgomery cysts are uncommon, painless, and often go away on their own.1 However, if Montgomery cysts become infected, consult a healthcare provider. —

Dr. Roshini Raj, Health, 26 May 2023 But documentaries are more visible at this year’s Cannes in general. —

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 26 May 2023 Public displays of wealth by Vietnamese officials are also sensitive, in part because the Communist Party’s general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, has been waging a yearslong anti-corruption crackdown that has ensnared some top brass. —

Chau Doan, New York Times, 26 May 2023 Clippers general manager Michael Winger was working with a group of team executives late on July 5, 2019, out of temporary office space in Manhattan Beach, when an earthquake briefly interrupted their plan to change the course of franchise history. —

Andrew Greif, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2023

Noun

Over the past year, Khan has rallied his supporters around accusations that the military orchestrated his ouster and, most recently, that a senior Pakistani military intelligence general was behind a shooting that wounded him in November. —

Christina Goldbaum And Salman Masood, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023 Two and half weeks after the general’s unsuccessful appeal, on September 20, a sentry awoke British Brigade Major Frederick Mackenzie with urgent news: New York was engulfed in flames. —

Erik Ofgang, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 May 2023 Among the industry names attending are CAA co-chair Bryan Lourd, BBC director general Tim Davie, Sky’s group CEO Dana Strong and ITV CEO Carolyn McCall. —

Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 May 2023 After Sudan's top two generals — commanders of the military and the paramilitary — turned on each other after months of tensions and the latest fighting broke out in April, Jeddah became a hub for those evacuated by sea from Sudan’s main sea port of Port Sudan. —

Samy Magdy, ajc, 6 May 2023 The evacuation of the town, where most of the workers live, has added to the risk of an accident, Rafael Mariano Grossi, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said in a statement. —

John Ismay, New York Times, 6 May 2023 The ultimate post for an American general — chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — was within Air Force Gen. David Goldfein’s reach. —

Sig Christenson, San Antonio Express-News, 6 May 2023 The battle for power between Sudan’s top two generals has reignited intercommunal violence in the country’s Darfur region, a gold-rich area still scarred by what is widely considered the first genocide of the 21st century. —

Nicholas Bariyo, wsj.com, 5 May 2023 About Count Rostopchin, the governor general of Moscow, Tolstoy couldn’t have been more disdainful. —

John Tamny, Forbes, 3 May 2023 See More

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.