general 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjen-rəl How to pronounce general (audio)
Definition of generalnext
1
as in overall
belonging or relating to the whole a general increase in postage rates there's been a general improvement in the economy

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in broad
relating to the main elements and not to specific details gave the general impression of being kindhearted a general course of study in American history

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people it was the general opinion that the politician was a liar the general mood of the nation was one of hope and optimism

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in unlimited
not limited or specialized in application or purpose a new kitchen tool of general usefulness a general education

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

general

2 of 2

noun

as in executive

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of general
Adjective
The structure includes a group of trustees who have majority control of the board of directors, as well as a special class of shares that ensures the seven founders own a majority of the general shareholder voting power. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026 Mayor Eddie Melton was also present and presented the city salaries and general budgets. — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026
Noun
An aide de camp (who will later become a big part of the romantic drama himself) enters to declare that the famous general has arrived. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026 Eisenkot's election day appearances with Mozes and in other affected communities are a sign of how central the attacks have been to the campaign and to the former general's case that Netanyahu's time in power should be up. — Yarden Segev, NBC news, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for general
Recent Examples of Synonyms for general
  1. overall
  2. broad
  3. prevailing
  4. unlimited
  5. executive
  6. generic
  7. public
  8. unrestricted
Adjective
  • In robot manipulation tests, VFlash also cut overall inference latency by about 80% on NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor and DGX Spark platforms, potentially helping robots respond faster to changing environments.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The Anteaters went three for 22 from three-point range and shot 24% (14 of 59) overall.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of overall
Adjective
  • The radar systems are expected to provide an important detection and tracking layer within the broader US counter-UAS architecture.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • But the midterms revealed a broad backlash against redistricting efforts in the South that were aimed at boosting Republicans and, by extension, reducing Black representation.
    — BILL BARROW, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of broad
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of prevailing
Adjective
  • Plans run from accident-only up to its unlimited Ultimate tier, and accident-and-illness coverage includes alternative therapies, dental illness and hereditary conditions.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • When the 2025 House settlement limited rosters to 105 players instead of effectively unlimited, coaches were less willing to go all out in practice and risk injuries.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of unlimited
Noun
  • They were photographed together both at a bar with other suppliers and then also out to dinner with some other executives.
    — Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 9 Nov. 2026
  • In many cases, boards and investors focused on ethical breaches, such as executives using company funds inappropriately or advancing the careers of romantic partners who reported to them.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of executive
Adjective
  • Last year, Gilead established royalty-free licensing agreements with six generic manufacturers to enable production.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Most generic ballot polls show that voters are more likely to back Democrats than Republicans in this midterm election.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of generic
Adjective
  • Accessibility All public areas, including the main entrance, pool area, spa, fitness center, restaurants, and meeting spaces have accessible routes.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • OpenAI competitor Anthropic, which is planning to go public this month, highlighted the issue in its prospectus, even though the Claude creator prohibits children from using its product.
    — Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • This mandated that at least 10% of locally generated, unrestricted revenue be allocated to incarceration alternatives.
    — Times staff, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Alexander Goldberg, a district spokesperson, said Measure M is not intended to redirect existing unrestricted general fund money that SCUSD spends on special education.
    — Chaewon Chung October 29, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrestricted

Phrases Containing general

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generable
general
general assemblies
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Cite this Entry

“General.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/general. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about general

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