all-American

1 of 2

adjective

all-Amer·​i·​can ˌȯl-ə-ˈmer-ə-kən How to pronounce all-American (audio)
-ˈme-rə-
1
a
or less commonly all-America : selected (as by a poll of journalists) as one of the best in the U.S. in a particular category at a particular time
an all-American quarterback
b
: having only all-American participants
an all-American basketball team
2
: composed wholly of American elements
3
: representative or typical of the U.S. or its ideals
an all-American boy
her all-American optimism
4
: of or relating to the American nations as a group

all-American

2 of 2

noun

1
or less commonly all-America : one (such as an athlete) that is voted all-American
2
: one that has all-American qualities or characteristics
a clean-cut all-American

Examples of all-American in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Designed by legendary Italian coachbuilder Zagato, powered by an all-American GM small-block V-8, and hand-built in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, the AC 378 GT Zagato comprises just 10 examples made between 2012 and 2013. Howard Walker, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024 Eugene’s all-American boy is also rapaciously physical and eager to please. Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
Cole recalled this time as a stab at conventional all-American life – at least on the surface. oregonlive, 23 Mar. 2023 As in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet (1986), a young man descends into a twilight zone behind an explicitly all-American façade. Ed Park, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2023 See all Example Sentences for all-American 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-American was in 1887

Dictionary Entries Near all-American

Cite this Entry

“All-American.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-American. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

all-American

adjective
all-Amer·​i·​can
ˌȯ-lə-ˈmer-ə-kən
1
: representing or typical of the U.S. or its ideals
an all-American boy
2
: selected as the best in the U.S.
the all-American football team
all-American noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!