as in unlimited
not limited or specialized in application or purpose
there's nothing wrong with all-purpose flour for baking bread, but flour with more gluten is better
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Recent Examples of all-purpose
In a large bowl, mix all-purpose flour and active dry yeast.
—
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
Use almond flour instead of bread crumbs to garnish lentil soup, spaghetti squash, or hummus, or in place of all-purpose flour in pancakes and other baked goods.
—Cynthia Sass, Health, 29 May 2026
Use a bit of compost and all-purpose fertilizer each spring, and try to keep lungwort plants out of direct sunlight or hot temperatures.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 27 May 2026
The all-purpose knob in my Mazda CX-5 never felt comfortable or intuitive and actually felt more distracting than if the car’s display had been touchable.
—Tc Sottek, The Verge, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for all-purpose
Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
Use almond flour instead of bread crumbs to garnish lentil soup, spaghetti squash, or hummus, or in place of all-purpose flour in pancakes and other baked goods.
—Cynthia Sass, Health, 29 May 2026
Use a bit of compost and all-purpose fertilizer each spring, and try to keep lungwort plants out of direct sunlight or hot temperatures.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 27 May 2026
The all-purpose knob in my Mazda CX-5 never felt comfortable or intuitive and actually felt more distracting than if the car’s display had been touchable.
—Tc Sottek, The Verge, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for all-purpose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for all-purpose
Adjective
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
8 June 2026
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Get access to select stories from the archives, along with unlimited digital access to Vogue, for $3 $1/month for one year.—
Bruce Weber,
Vogue,
7 June 2026
Adjective
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That's our mission now is to help other DIYers learn how to do more on their project, from general contracting all the way through some of the actual construction elements.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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There are chances to take a deep dive into various history or literature classes beyond general education requirements, or for students to discover their passions or potential career pathways, Ellman said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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When an accountant builds an AI workflow in a general-purpose tool, the logic lives in their session.—
Mike Whitmire,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Joseph Fuller, the Harvard Business School professor who co-founded the school’s Managing the Future of Work project, states that AI is not an information technology but a general-purpose technology.—
Aslesha Mehta,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“All-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/all-purpose. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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