generalized

adjective
gen·​er·​al·​ized | \ ˈjen-rə-ˌlīzd How to pronounce generalized (audio) , ˈje-nə-\

Definition of generalized

: made general especially : not highly differentiated biologically nor strictly adapted to a particular environment

Examples of generalized in a Sentence

The patient has been experiencing generalized pain.

Recent Examples on the Web

But this Court is not responsible for vindicating generalized partisan preferences. Matt Ford, The New Republic, "Mississippi Quotes John Roberts to Defend Its Racist Election Law," 19 July 2019 Already, according to an ACLU count, a dozen US cities have passed more generalized anti-surveillance laws in the past several years, including Somerville, San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley. Rachel Metz, CNN, "Beyond San Francisco, more cities are saying no to facial recognition," 17 July 2019 The wallets were always turned in by study collaborators inside similar institutions (banks, hotels, and so on) to control who participated and allow for generalized results. Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, "“Missing” Wallets with More Cash Are More Likely to Be Returned," 20 June 2019 And they were mostly limited to small, local gatherings or bigger, more generalized science fiction and fantasy cons. Devon Maloney, The Verge, "How the first Wakandacon escaped the fan convention curse," 13 Aug. 2018 National rates of generalized anxiety range between 3% and 5% for civilians and military. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, "Study finds 'mental health crisis' among Michigan prison workers," 10 Aug. 2018 This single-issue extreme political formation also emphasizes hostility to immigration, the other side of the Brexit coin, and a generalized form of nationalism. Arthur I. Cyr, Lake County News-Sun, "Cyr: British politics reflect change — and stability," 14 June 2019 One is that each of these businesses should be evaluated on its own terms, not as part of a generalized crackdown. Bloomberg View, Twin Cities, "Other voices: Don’t declare war on big tech," 7 June 2019 Instead of resigning yourself to a generalized negative mood for the next few hours, try to label your emotions. Samantha Boardman, Marie Claire, "How to Get Out of a Bad Mood," 28 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'generalized.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of generalized

1768, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for generalized

generalized

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of generalized

: not specific : not limited to a particular area, part, etc.

generalized

adjective
gen·​er·​al·​ized
variants: or British generalised

Medical Definition of generalized

1a : spread or extended throughout the body : affecting many parts of the body generalized paralysis generalized aches and pains
b : affecting or involving all of a single part or region of the body generalized back pain generalized mouth soreness
2 : not highly differentiated biologically nor strictly adapted to a particular environment a primitive generalized mammal