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

When an airline is responsible for the schedule change, like in the case of a maintenance or staffing issue, passengers are generally eligible for hotel and meal vouchers, depending on the length of the delay. —Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026

Pharmacies Pharmacies are generally open on Easter but check with yours to see if hours are reduced. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026

The viral post comes as survey data suggests many travelers are generally open to seat-switch requests when they are made considerately. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

Despite the fact that old-timey Americana is generally on brand for old Jack Frost. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 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