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

Models that kill bugs are often similar to general-purpose vacuums and offer very powerful suction. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

Additionally, Caltrans has temporarily closed one of the two general-purpose lanes near the Ventana Entrance to Nepenthe due to bridge work, which in the evacuation zone. — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Daybreak Blue will give users unique access to OpenAI's advanced general-purpose models, as the safeguards will be altered to allow for defensive security work, the company said in a blog post. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026

The pace of development is evident, even if completely general-purpose humanoids still confront challenges with dexterity, energy efficiency, human safety, and robust real-world generalization. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for general-purpose

• multipurpose
• purpose