generally

adverb

gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-rə-lē How to pronounce generally (audio)
ˈje-nə-,
ˈje-nər-lē
: in a general manner: such as
a
: in disregard of specific instances and with regard to an overall picture
generally speaking
b
: as a rule : usually

Examples of generally in a Sentence

He talked generally about his plans. I had a generally good day. It generally takes about a month for the shipment to arrive. When stocks are up, bonds are generally down. This town is generally regarded as a good place to raise kids.
Recent Examples on the Web The gay men were breezy, bossy, confident; the straight men were generally hapless and abashed. Mark Harris Rf. Alvarez, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2024 This type of bonus generally comes with extremely high wagering requirements but gives players a limited amount of free play with a chance at winning real money at the end. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 The Guards, as the Irish call their cops, are generally thought useless in the village, an attitude French reinforces. Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 This is known as the alignment problem, and it is generally acknowledged to be unresolved. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Yet his presence and potential are such that the Chargers’ head-coach opening was generally regarded as the most appealing in the league this offseason. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024 Charles’ relative openness about his diagnosis was a departure for the generally secretive royal family. Jill Lawless, Twin Cities, 11 Mar. 2024 Even the most robust high-yield savings accounts generally pay no more than 4% or 5% interest. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 Employees' families and loved ones are generally their top priority. Anne Lackey, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'generally.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of generally was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near generally

Cite this Entry

“Generally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generally. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

generally

adverb
gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-(ə-)rə-lē How to pronounce generally (audio)
ˈjen-ər-lē
1
: for the most part
generally speaking
2
: as a rule : usually

More from Merriam-Webster on generally

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