gen ‧ er ‧ al ‧ ly S2 W1 /ˈdʒen ə rəli/ BrE AmE adverb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ generalization , ↑ general , ↑ generalist , ↑ generality ; adjective : ↑ general , ↑ generalist , ↑ generalized ; verb : ↑ generalize ; adverb : ↑ generally ]
1 . considering or relating to the whole of a thing or group, rather than to details or specific cases or parts SYN broadly :
It was generally a positive conversation.
She’s not really ill, just generally run-down.
[sentence adverb]
Generally, part-timers work in low-status, low-wage occupations.
The second survey was concerned with working-class culture more generally.
2 . by or to most people SYN widely
generally regarded/accepted/known etc
The plants are generally regarded as weeds.
a generally accepted view
It could be five years before the drug is generally available.
3 . usually or most of the time SYN usually :
I generally get in to work by 8.00.
4 . generally speaking used to introduce a statement that is true in most cases but not always:
Generally speaking, the more expensive the stereo, the better it is.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ in general used when saying that something is usually true in most situations, or about most people or things:
In general, temporary jobs are less well-paid.
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In general, the bigger a company becomes, the harder it is to maintain customer satisfaction.
▪ generally another way of saying ‘in general’, which is often used before a verb. Generally can also be used to say that most people have a particular opinion:
Women generally live longer than men.
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Newton is generally regarded as the father of modern science.
▪ generally speaking/as a rule other ways of saying ‘in general’:
Generally speaking, large breeds of dog are becoming less popular.
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He’s a singer who doesn’t do interviews, as a rule.
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The graduates are, generally speaking, a confident and articulate group of young people.
▪ mostly/mainly/largely used when saying that something is true about most people or things, or about most of something. Largely is slightly more formal than mostly or mainly :
The disease mainly affects women.
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Their attempts were largely unsuccessful.
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The students were mostly French and German, but there were a few Japanese students too.
▪ for the most part used when saying that something is true in most cases, but not in every case:
These problems have for the most part been resolved.
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For the most part, the gangs were made up of boys aged between 11 and 16.
▪ by and large/on the whole used for saying that something is true in most ways or in most cases:
The project was, by and large, a success.
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On the whole, people were very friendly.