as in unlimited
not limited or specialized in application or purpose
a general-purpose glue for routine household repairs
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Recent Examples of general-purpose
Manus, which has Chinese roots but is based in Singapore, provides a general-purpose AI agent that can autonomously carry out sophisticated tasks like coding an app, doing market research or preparing quarterly budgets.
—
ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
The result is a general-purpose memory shortage that's caused prices to skyrocket.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
The Fed should not act as some general-purpose agency of the US government or as an appellate court for matters that are rightly debated and decided elsewhere.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
These fertilizers are lower in nitrogen (the first number) compared to general-purpose fertilizers and are designed to help plants to bloom better.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for general-purpose
ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
The result is a general-purpose memory shortage that's caused prices to skyrocket.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 27 Apr. 2026
The Fed should not act as some general-purpose agency of the US government or as an appellate court for matters that are rightly debated and decided elsewhere.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
These fertilizers are lower in nitrogen (the first number) compared to general-purpose fertilizers and are designed to help plants to bloom better.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for general-purpose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for general-purpose
Adjective
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Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.—
Jay Blackman,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
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Newsletters such as The Ron Paul Survival Report warned that without gold politicians would be free to print unlimited dollars for entitlement programs.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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Much like the demonstrations two decades ago, organizers on Friday also called for a general boycott — no school, no work, no shopping — in an effort to demand that the country put workers above billionaires by taxing the rich.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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The one issue for Banchero, and the Magic in general, was free-throw shooting.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Dosunmu, an unrestricted free agent, now has a playoff stage to showcase his talent and cash in this summer.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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Vucevic is the Celtics’ only impending unrestricted free agent.—
Zack Cox,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“General-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/general-purpose. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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