general-purpose

adjective

gen·​er·​al-pur·​pose ˈjen-rəl-ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce general-purpose (audio)
ˈje-nə-
: suitable to be used for two or more basic purposes

Examples of general-purpose in a Sentence

a general-purpose glue for routine household repairs
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.
But even as late as the opening phases of the Iraq war in 2003, roughly a third of munitions dropped by the United States and its coalition partners were still unguided, general-purpose bombs. Raphael S. Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2025 By 2027, the center aims to train 1,000 general-purpose robots simultaneously, with plans to collect 10 million high-quality physical data entries through collaborations with local robot manufacturers. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2025 As a general-purpose technology, AI capabilities are advancing across many domains at this blistering pace. Henry Papadatos, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025 As a general-purpose notebook, the Carbon lacks the specialized speed of a desktop-replacement mobile workstation or gaming rig, but its portability, design, and build quality can't be beaten. PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for general-purpose 

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of general-purpose was in 1894

Dictionary Entries Near general-purpose

Cite this Entry

“General-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general-purpose. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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