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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

general

2 of 2

noun

as in executive

Related Words

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
Digital media veteran Adam Boorstin has joined Beast Industries‘ WatchTime Studios as general manager overseeing the production of original content in a range of genres for various platforms. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026 All the Presidents’ Wars is more a historical overview than an attempt to break new ground, but Bergen does make valuable contributions to the general understanding of key episodes in the war on terror. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
Criticism intensified further earlier on Monday when Mattias Grafstrom, the organisation’s secretary general, joined Kevin Lamour, the chief operating officer, in voicing his opposition to the plan. — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 Several Russian media outlets claimed the bombing targeted a Russian general who was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 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
  • Research has shown that meaningful social relationships are an important part of overall health and, for some participants, simply stepping outside their comfort zones can be a confidence boost.
    — Kaitlyn Harvey, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In comparison, the sell-out rate for overall clothes this year was 25%.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of overall
Adjective
  • Together, the setbacks also highlight a broader challenge for Taiwan, which is developing a layered defense system while drone technology evolves faster than traditional military procurement programmes can adapt.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The ruling follows a broader shift toward rethinking the purpose of cash bail, mirroring larger criminal justice reforms in the state over the past decade or more.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 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
  • The device seamlessly integrates major streaming apps, providing direct links to content and an unlimited cloud DVR.
    — Rick Ellis, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Of course, because Byron is a psycho with terrifying surveillance capabilities and unlimited resources, Hazel has an easier time getting free than staying free.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlimited
Noun
  • The young Microsoft executive had just dropped off his twins at his ex-wife’s home in Jacksonville Beach on a warm, late-winter Florida evening.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Two other former Drive Planning executives were also sentenced this week.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of executive
Adjective
  • Summary Leaders are increasingly sounding generic, often using similar buzzwords, a trend exacerbated by AI's ability to generate competent but unoriginal communication.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Classroom-style exchanges, with judges asking people to raise their hands in response to generic questions about their cases.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of generic
Adjective
  • In April, L3Harris subsidiary Aerojet Rocketdyne made a deal for a $1 billion government investment into the missile-propulsion business L3Harris plans to take public.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Other factors, including enormous public debt piles, are also contributing to elevated yields.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • Each will receive an unrestricted $60,000 grant, disbursed over a five-year period.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Aug. 2026
  • While students using unrestricted AI show immediate performance improvement while using AI agents, their performance plummets once the tool is removed.
    — Aaron Glantz, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of unrestricted

Phrases Containing general

Browse Nearby Words

generable
general
general assemblies
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“General.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/general. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on general

Nglish: Translation of general for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about general

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All