Another Word for General: 12 Synonyms with Examples
“General” means affecting most people or things, or not detailed. Synonyms help separate “widespread” from “broad” or “vague”.
As an adjective: affecting or common to most
As an adjective: not detailed
- broad
- rough
- overall
- approximate
- vague
- loose
- sweeping
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How they differ
Synonyms share a meaning, not always a tone. Here is when to pick each of the main options.
- widespread
- Found in many places or among many people.
- universal
- Applying to everyone or everything, without exception.
- broad
- Covering the main points without detail.
- approximate
- Close to the exact figure but not precise.
- sweeping
- Too general; often used of statements that ignore exceptions.
Example sentences
- widespread: There was widespread relief at the news.
- universal: The right to vote should be universal.
- broad: Here is a broad outline of the plan.
- approximate: The approximate journey time is two hours.
- sweeping: Avoid sweeping statements about whole groups of people.
Opposite of general
- specific
- particular
- detailed
- precise
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for “general”?
The most useful alternatives are “widespread”, “common”, “universal”, “broad”, “overall”. For the main sense (affecting or common to most), “widespread” is usually the closest swap.
What is the difference between “widespread” and “universal”?
widespread: Found in many places or among many people. universal: Applying to everyone or everything, without exception.
What is the opposite of “general”?
Common antonyms are “specific”, “particular”, “detailed”, “precise”.