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

Some commentators have suggested that had Americans had earlier access to the Zapruder film, the conspiracy culture that metastasized around the killing of JFK and the more generalized distrust of institutions that went along with it may not have been quite so powerful. —Time, 20 Sep. 2025

Overlays, LLMs trained on inaccessible code, and generalized testing tools not optimized for digital accessibility will overwhelm your teams with false positives. —Dylan Barrell, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025

Instead, they are characterized by a generalized hostility toward societal institutions and a desire to inflict harm or chaos. —Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025

This is where generalized odor anxiety intersects with the aforementioned puritanical squeamishness. —Franklin Schneider, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 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