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

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
The Telly Awards has added 56 new categories in the microseries space, covering both general fields and for craft. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 There’s no shortage of hand-wringing over her general cohort. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
According to the guidelines, the method is recommended to the secretary by the provost marshal general. — Meagan Harris, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 Attorneys general in Florida, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska claim TP-Link never truly severed ties with its Chinese business in 2024 after relocating its global HQ to Irvine, California. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 7 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
  • Avoiding it in the first place makes far more sense, even if the K3's additional hardware and energy requirements complicate the question of its overall environmental footprint.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The overall bargain, however, laid the foundation for what has become a highly successful deterrence, reassurance, and nonproliferation regime.
    — Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of overall
Adjective
  • By contrast, long-term investing remains focused on owning productive assets, participating in economic growth and aligning investment decisions with broader financial objectives.
    — Aneri Jambusaria, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, Hugo says the case encompasses a much broader body of work stemming from compositions the two created during nearly 50 studio sessions between 2019 and 2021.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 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
  • Unlike the federal campaign contribution limit of $3,500 for donors, candidates can make unlimited contributions or loans.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • This Billingsgate community has access to public transportation, golf, equestrian centers, local farm stands, hiking trails, the Farmington River, public library, and an unlimited range of eclectic dining, coffee shops and retail establishments.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of unlimited
Noun
  • Organizers have held discussions around allowing overseas executives to participate virtually, Reuters reported last week, and The Wall Street Journal said that some executives are already canceling meetings.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Williams, a Democrat, works as a nonprofit executive for the Tarrant Area Food Bank.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of executive
Adjective
  • The platform has heard its users’ complaints about lengthy, generic missives never touched by human hands loud and clear.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Double haters, those who are unfavorable toward both parties, who make up about 2 in 10 voters, favor the Democratic candidate over the Republican candidate in the generic ballot by 26 percentage points, 58% to 32%.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of generic
Adjective
  • However, the bill would also preempt certain state requirements covering public risk disclosures, independent evaluations, and critical incident reporting.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • In ten countries, interest payments eclipse the entire public investment budget.
    — Masood Ahmed, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • Heading into the 2027 offseason, with many of the league’s stars locked into long-term contracts, four unrestricted free agents could meaningfully change teams’ fortunes.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The new cohort joins 20 previously awarded fellows who have received close to $700,000 in unrestricted funding since 2021, when Inevitable Foundation was founded.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 14 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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