generalized

adjective

gen·​er·​al·​ized ˈje-nə-rə-ˌlīzd 

ˈjen-rə-

: made general

especially : not highly differentiated biologically nor strictly adapted to a particular environment

Examples of generalized in a Sentence

The patient has been experiencing generalized pain.

Recent Examples on the Web

The lawsuit is devoid of specific allegations against anyone, much less Abel, relying exclusively on generalized recitations of boilerplate legal jargon. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2025

Hands are typically next in line for precision, while bodies are often merely suggested with loose, generalized marks of the pen or brush, leaving room for a viewer’s perception to fill in vacancies. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025

The generalized level of consumer stress also varied by country, with the U.S. on the lower end of the spectrum for growth. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 17 Apr. 2025

Unlike in the United States, where the epidemic was primarily concentrated in specific high-risk groups, these regions faced a generalized epidemic. —Jonathan Ellen, National Review, 13 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing generalized

• generalized anxiety disorder

Rhymes for generalized

• americanized
• anathematized
• collateralized
• contextualized
• conventionalized
• demilitarized
• demineralized
• departmentalized
• industrialised
• industrialized
• materialised
• materialized

Medical Definition

generalized

adjective

gen·​er·​al·​ized

variants or British generalised

1

a

: spread or extended throughout the body : affecting many parts of the body

generalized paralysis

generalized aches and pains

b

: affecting or involving all of a single part or region of the body

generalized back pain

generalized mouth soreness

2

: not highly differentiated biologically nor strictly adapted to a particular environment

a primitive generalized mammal