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

In the Instagram video posted Saturday, Bardot is seen gently petting a young Doberman named Urphé, who suffered from severe generalized arthritis. —Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 28 Dec. 2025

The news came just one day after the foundation shared a video on Instagram, appealing for a young Doberman named Urphé, who suffers from severe generalized arthritis, to be adopted. —Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025

More generalized assistants, of the sort envisioned by Altman, would require agents to leave the comfortable constraints of the terminal. —Cal Newport, New Yorker, 27 Dec. 2025

Where once there was individualized love, now there is only generalized compassion. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Dec. 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