Meanings
- In the general case; without further assumption; without qualification; in all respects.
Thou art a grave and noble counsellor, Most wise in general:
c. 1608, William Shakespeare, Pericles, act V, scene 11 more example
Yet is the kindness but particular; ’Twere better she were kiss’d in general.
c. 1601, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act IV, scene 5Synonyms: as a whole, generally, normally, usually
Synonyms & antonyms
prepositional phraseIn the general case; without further assumption; without qualification; in all respects.
prepositional phraseAs a rule; usually.
antonym(s) of
More synonyms by meaning
adverbwithout distinction of one from others
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishin general
- Middle Englishin general
- Englishin general
Inherited from Middle English in general.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἐπὶ πᾶν, ὡς ἐπὶ πᾶν εἰπεῖν
- ἐπὶ πᾶν (epì pân)in the general case
- ὡς ἐπὶ πᾶν εἰπεῖν (hōs epì pân eipeîn)in the general case
Bulgarian в общия случай, общо взето
- в общия случай (v obštija slučaj)in the general case
- общо взето (obšto vzeto)in the general case
Danish generelt, generelt set
- genereltin the general case
- generelt setin the general case
Dutch in het algemeen
- in het algemeenin the general case
Finnish yleensä, yleisesti
- yleensäin the general case
- yleisestiin the general case
French en général
- en généralin the general case
German im Allgemeinen
- im Allgemeinenin the general case
Hungarian általánosságban, összességében
- általánosságbanin the general case
- összességébenin the general case
- egészében vévein the general case
- alapjában vévein the general case
Icelandic almennt séð
- almennt séðin the general case
Irish go coitianta
- go coitiantain the general case
Japanese 一般に
- 一般に (ippanni)in the general case
Latvian lielākoties
- lielākotiesin the general case
Polish w ogóle
- w ogólein the general case
Russian вообще
- вообще (voobshche)in the general case
Spanish en general
- en generalgenerally
Swedish i allmänhet
- i allmänhetin the general case
Vietnamese nói chung
- nói chungin the general case
Cite this entry
in general. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20general
“in general.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20general. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in general,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20general.
Source: in general on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.