as in notions
an idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation
the generalization that children who like violent entertainment grow up to be violent criminals
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Recent Examples of generalizations
Pestaina also cautioned against broad generalizations about savings.
—
Liz Neporent, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
If there are any generalizations to be made about how different areas raise different types of players, Latson is qualified to make them.
—Rebecca Shore Winn, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
Those decisions remain governed by statute and must be based on individualized assessments, not generalizations.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
They're exhausted by the constant airing of grievances having little to do with what's actually going on in the country, and by the broad generalizations about, well, everything, that ignore context, nuance and facts to promote a political viewpoint.
—Brenda Looper, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
At Tuesday’s meeting, the issue hit close to home as South Asian residents challenged generalizations made about their community.
—Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
But sweeping generalizations flatten reality and do a disservice to institutions such as Roosevelt — and students such as mine.
—Ryan Gable, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Under California law, fraud must be pled with particularity, meaning there must be specifics and details in the complaint; generalizations, inferences and supposition don’t cut it.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The sample size is too small to make sweeping generalizations, but one conclusion seems evident.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Liz Neporent, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026
If there are any generalizations to be made about how different areas raise different types of players, Latson is qualified to make them.
—Rebecca Shore Winn, Southern Living, 18 Feb. 2026
Those decisions remain governed by statute and must be based on individualized assessments, not generalizations.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
They're exhausted by the constant airing of grievances having little to do with what's actually going on in the country, and by the broad generalizations about, well, everything, that ignore context, nuance and facts to promote a political viewpoint.
—Brenda Looper, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
At Tuesday’s meeting, the issue hit close to home as South Asian residents challenged generalizations made about their community.
—Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
But sweeping generalizations flatten reality and do a disservice to institutions such as Roosevelt — and students such as mine.
—Ryan Gable, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2026
Under California law, fraud must be pled with particularity, meaning there must be specifics and details in the complaint; generalizations, inferences and supposition don’t cut it.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Jan. 2026
The sample size is too small to make sweeping generalizations, but one conclusion seems evident.
—Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for generalizations
Noun
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Each player their own preconceived notions about the Patriots, though Vera-Tucker’s was the strongest.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
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This shedding shouldn’t be clogged up with notions of the anti-Christ.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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A lot of her work challenges gender stereotypes.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
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But that shift is still recent, and decades of cultural baggage — from sexist slasher stereotypes to schlocky late-night programming — continue to shape perception.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Zee approaches art with an investigative mindset, exploring themes and concepts with depth and authenticity.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
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However, perhaps the height of Red Dwarf's experimentation with sci-fi concepts and the exploration of its main protagonists’ morality was the season five finale, Back to Reality.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Second, however, at the chasm between the Framers’ conceptions of Presidential war power and the unbounded nature of that authority today.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
5 Mar. 2026
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Rising above material needs, our current conceptions of class, identity, and climate will shift radically.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Generalizations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/generalizations. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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