general-purpose

adjective

gen·​er·​al-pur·​pose ˈjen-rəl-ˈpər-pəs 

ˈje-nə-

: suitable to be used for two or more basic purposes

Synonyms of general-purpose

• unlimited
• general
• unrestricted

Examples of general-purpose in a Sentence

a general-purpose glue for routine household repairs

Recent Examples on the Web

The boards are then collected into clusters and redeployed as a general-purpose computing platform. — New Atlas, 2 July 2026

The next phase of AI is less about announcing general-purpose models and more about embedding AI in workflows. — Nimit Mehra, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

But for now, general-purpose robots that approach human levels of flexibility and adaptiveness remain many years away. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026

Apply a general-purpose fertilizer and follow the application rates on the label. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for general-purpose

• multipurpose
• purpose