generally

adverb

gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-rə-lē 

ˈje-nə-, 

ˈje-nər-lē

: in a general manner: such as

a

: in disregard of specific instances and with regard to an overall picture

generally speaking

b

: as a rule : usually

Synonyms of generally

• usually
• normally
• typically

Examples of generally in a Sentence

He talked generally about his plans.

I had a generally good day.

It generally takes about a month for the shipment to arrive.

When stocks are up, bonds are generally down.

This town is generally regarded as a good place to raise kids.

Recent Examples on the Web

Advertisement The virus generally does not spread through human contact, but the Andes strain, one of the hantavirus family, can spread through droplets among close contacts, experts have told TIME. —Callum Sutherland, Time, 6 May 2026

Either way, that’s a little shorter than the Panthers generally prefer at outside corner. —Joseph Person, New York Times, 6 May 2026

The disparate outcomes can help explain the generally gloomy attitude most Americans have toward the economy even as headline figures, such as the unemployment rate and economic growth, remain mostly solid. —Christopher Rugaber, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026

Banks are generally required to review the account during the levy process and protect qualifying federal benefits that were directly deposited within a specific lookback period. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 6 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing generally

• generally speaking

Kids Definition

generally

adverb

gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-(ə-)rə-lē 

ˈjen-ər-lē

1

: for the most part

generally speaking

2

: as a rule : usually