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
China is already a near peer in technology, a handful of private companies are steering development, and AI is a general-purpose technology that is spreading to nearly every part of the economy and society.
—
Matan Chorev, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2025
Patients seeking to self-diagnose often have access only to public, general-purpose AI chatbots, which may lack clinical oversight and up-to-date scientific training.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
The typical culprit is a lack of nitrogen, which is easily remedied with a general-purpose fertilizer.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025
But that’s not how general-purpose large language models worked in the past.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for general-purpose
Matan Chorev, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2025
Patients seeking to self-diagnose often have access only to public, general-purpose AI chatbots, which may lack clinical oversight and up-to-date scientific training.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
The typical culprit is a lack of nitrogen, which is easily remedied with a general-purpose fertilizer.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 July 2025
But that’s not how general-purpose large language models worked in the past.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for general-purpose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for general-purpose
Adjective
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No contract, unlimited data, Wi-Fi equipment and one Xfinity Unlimited mobile line included for 12 months.—
Kara McGinley,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
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Get one year of unlimited access for $3.33 $1.50 per month + a tote.—
Paola Singer,
Architectural Digest,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That exclusive playoff game in early 2024 was controversial among NFL fans, but nobody could deny its positive effect on Peacock subscriptions and retention — and even just on internet usage in general.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
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The Star brand, which was widely used and well-known across Latin America and Asia, was designated as the general entertainment tile.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The defender is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and another major injury would likely lead the team to move on.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Aug. 2025
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Phillips is due to earn $13.3 million this season and is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“General-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/general-purpose. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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