general
adjective
gen·er·al
| \ ˈjen-rəl
, ˈje-nə-\
, ˈje-nə-\
Definition of general
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole
2
: involving, relating to, or applicable to every member of a class, kind, or group
the general equation of a straight line
3
: not confined by specialization or careful limitation
a general outline
4
: belonging to the common nature of a group of like individuals : generic
the general characteristics of a species
5a
: applicable to or characteristic of the majority of individuals involved : prevalent
the general opinion
b
: concerned or dealing with universal rather than particular aspects
6
: relating to, determined by, or concerned with main elements rather than limited details
bearing a general resemblance to the original
7
: holding superior rank or taking precedence over others similarly titled
the general manager
general
nounDefinition of general (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: something (such as a concept, principle, or statement) that involves or is applicable to the whole
2
: superior general
4a
: general officer
b
: a commissioned officer in the army, air force, or marine corps who ranks above a lieutenant general and whose insignia is four stars — compare admiral
in general
: for the most part : generally
In general, things are going as planned.
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Synonyms & Antonyms for general
Synonyms: Adjective
across-the-board, blanket, broad-brush, common, generic, global, overall, universal
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of general in a Sentence
Adjective
They have issued a general warning. The general consensus is that we should go ahead. The witness was able to provide a very general description of the thief. She began her talk with some general observations about the state of the industry. The book provides a good general introduction to the subject. My concerns are all general—nothing specific. The details of the new plan are different, but it's based on the same general concept. My general impression was that things were going well. They were found in the same general area. I'm going in the general direction of the store.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Audiences are flocking to Koy’s shows in droves, attracted perhaps by his unique take on both fresh and tired subject matters, with his Filipino heritage and race in general a frequent theme. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Hard work and DIY attitude helped stand-up comedian Jo Koy turn rejection into success," 25 Aug. 2019 Van Dijk showed his love and passion for Liverpool when revealing that Liverpool's kit is the best that he's worn, while also insisting that Anfield has the best atmosphere and is the best stadium in general. — SI.com, "Virgil van Dijk Reveals Best Teammate, Toughest Opponent, Favourite Game and More," 24 Aug. 2019 In general, climate change is expected to drive an increase in severe thunderstorms across much of the United States, which could theoretically increase tornado activity. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Possible Links Between Warming and Tornadoes Are Still Murky," 22 Aug. 2019 Flu season, in general, lasts from October to May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). — Maggie O'neill, Health.com, "How Long Does the Flu Shot Last? Here's What Experts Say," 22 Aug. 2019 In fact, this is the theory that underlies influencer marketing in general: Those with more social legitimacy can sell things better than brand accounts. — Kristina Libby, Popular Mechanics, "No, That Instagram Privacy Hoax Isn’t Real. It Never Is.," 22 Aug. 2019 The role of allies, in general, is to recognize that, what impacts one person, impacts all of us. — Meena Harris, Glamour, "It's Black Women's Equal Pay Day. No Matter Who You Are, That Should Matter to You," 22 Aug. 2019 That suspension of reality is what made The Bell such a genius brand activation and only a subpar hotel, at least for this crabby journalist with a tenuous relationship with the franchise (and fast food in general). — Mitchell Kuga, Condé Nast Traveler, "A Stay at the Taco Bell Hotel in Palm Springs," 21 Aug. 2019 For people who do sensitive work in crowded areas, Bluetooth keyboards might be unwise in general. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "New Attack exploiting serious Bluetooth weakness can intercept sensitive data," 17 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Othello A Moorish general in Venice is undone by the machinations of a jealous underling in Shakespeare’s tragedy. — Los Angeles Times, "Theater in L.A. this week: ‘Always Running,’ ‘Witch’ with Maura Tierney and more," 25 Aug. 2019 Across the country, efforts to not only change names, but also take down monuments to Confederate soldiers and generals have not come without controversy. — Scott Mclean, CNN, "Property owners in Denver neighborhood vote to keep its controversial name," 21 Aug. 2019 Set in the days leading up to the Six-Day War, the show follows the exploits of an Arab spy who goes undercover as Jewish Rachel (Lubna Azabal) to seduce and subvert an Israeli general and report the enemy's war plans to her Palestinian lover. — Barbara Vandenburgh, azcentral, "‘Tel Aviv on Fire’ confronts Israeli-Palestinian conflict — through a soap opera," 31 July 2019 As commander of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi, Smith was considered the last general with a major field force to surrender. — Jim Turner, sun-sentinel.com, "Confederate statue from Capitol finds home in Central Florida, despite backlash," 31 July 2019 Five military generals and two military units have already been sanctioned. — Amy Gunia, Time, "U.S. Sanctions Myanmar Generals for Ethnic Cleansing of Rohingya," 17 July 2019 As commander of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi, Smith was considered the last general with a major field force to surrender. — Jim Turner, orlandosentinel.com, "Mary McLeod Bethune: DeSantis formally asks that statue be placed in U.S. Capitol," 9 July 2019 And there were real generals at that birthday party who were saluting him, and bowing to him, and deferring to him from that age. — CBS News, "Transcript: Anna Fifield talks with Michael Morell on "Intelligence Matters"," 19 June 2019 Tour tickets are $15 for Preservation Action Council members and Fairglen Addition residents and $20 general at www.preservation.org or 408-998-8105, or at Antiques Colony, 1881 W. San Carlos St. Admission is $25 on the day of the event. — Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, "Willow Glen Eichler owners celebrate their place in national history," 11 Aug. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'general.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for general
general
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of general
: of, relating to, or affecting all the people or things in a group : involving or including many or most people
: relating to the main or major parts of something rather than the details : not specific
—used to indicate that a description relates to an entire person or thing rather than a particular part
See the full definition for general in the English Language Learners Dictionary