generally

adverb

gen·​er·​al·​ly ˈjen-rə-lē How to pronounce generally (audio)
ˈje-nə-, 
ˈje-nər-lē
Synonyms of generallynext
: 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

Synonyms of generally

Relevance
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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
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.
Trump is sub-ideological, and the instincts that guide his decisions are generally right-wing rather than left-wing. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 And a plume of Saharan dust arrived early Wednesday, and the layer generally keeps things dry. — Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026 In the past, the Labor Department’s briefs had generally sided with the employees. — Paul Kiel, ProPublica, 8 July 2026 The correlation is generally stronger between gold and real interest rates, which is the interest rate paid minus inflation. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for generally

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

Phrases Containing generally

Browse Nearby Words

general listing
generally
generally speaking
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Generally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/generally. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of generally for Spanish Speakers

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