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

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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 body size of doctors and medical students does not nearly represent the size distribution of the general population. — Jessica Rosenblum, STAT, 8 Sep. 2026 Featuring various zones of native vegetation alongside bougainvillea and jacarandas, the park is dotted with generous public seating and has an amphitheater for outdoor events or general lounging. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
The prosecutor general’s office has stopped updating crime data; the Treasury has ceased publishing detailed budget information; and the central bank has restricted disclosure of international reserves. — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026 For example, in 2017, President Nicolas Maduro named a National Guard general with no industry experience to lead PDVSA. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 31 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
  • Granted, Pollard needs only 1,083 yards to achieve a career high, but the Titans would like to get Tyjae Spears more involved and the overall quality of this offense remains a large question mark.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Coming to the overall standings, while Mercedes managed to take a significant early lead with five successive wins for local boy Kimi Antonelli, McLaren and Ferrari have been closing in on the gap with some decent performances of late.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of overall
Adjective
  • Sunderland, of course, spent heavily last season after coming up from the Championship, and there is a broad consensus that promoted teams need to do so to quickly bring their squads up to scratch.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The approach fits the US military’s broader effort to increase the availability of hypersonic flight-test infrastructure.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 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
  • This gives nuclear submarines essentially unlimited range from their reactor fuel compared with conventional submarines.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Join Washington Examiner for unlimited access to the news, analysis, and commentary that matter most.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of unlimited
Noun
  • Nana Menya Ayensu is an energy strategy and infrastructure technology investment executive and a former White House special assistant to the President on Climate Policy, Finance, and Innovation.
    — Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Unions serve as a vital counterbalance in an economy where corporate profits and executive salaries often overshadow the needs of the workforce.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of executive
Adjective
  • The survey found that voters favored a generic Democratic candidate for Congress over a Republican 46% to 40%, but the Democratic advantage expanded to 11 points among those who definitely plan to vote.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The result is an illusion of depth that ultimately spits out the exact same generic, corner-cutting structure.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of generic
Adjective
  • The build-up to that tie was dominated by a public row with another of his own team’s players, this time French attacker Allan Saint-Maximin.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Moon opposes your ruler Pluto, creating tension between public responsibilities and private concerns.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • Once the transaction is complete, the 35-year-old forward will be an unrestricted free agent.
    — Eric Stephens, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Much of her desk work involves working with clay, meaning the ability to tuck the armrests out of the way for unrestricted arm movement is a major benefit.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Sep. 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 11 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about general

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