ALL-PURPOSE Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

all-purpose

adjective

ˈȯl-ˈpər-pəs

Definition of all-purpose

as in unlimited

not limited or specialized in application or purpose there's nothing wrong with all-purpose flour for baking bread, but flour with more gluten is better

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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.

Recent Examples of all-purpose Tommy Hosty, a senior all-purpose star, scored two rushing TDs out of the Wildcat formation and set up another TD with an interception for Marist (1-0). — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Breece Hall is one of the better all-purpose running backs in the league. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 22 Aug. 2026 Lenovo Idea Tab Deal A price drop of 27% on Lenovo's excellent all-purpose Idea Tab is a great way to start us off. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 Honor Fa’alave-Johnson of Cathedral Catholic is on the first team as an all-purpose player. — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for all-purpose

Recent Examples of Synonyms for all-purpose

Adjective

Can Kushner’s billions of dollars and unlimited access deliver the kind of magnetic appeal that began with the Showtime Lakers in 1979?

— Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
In Desert Sands, May-Vollmar said unlimited Wi-Fi in the classroom replicates the real world for students.

— Linda Jacobson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of unlimited

Adjective

Shelley served as the Warriors’ associate general counsel and director of business and legal affairs and risk management, and Vasquez was the vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

— Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
The Israel Defense Forces captured Hamas' head of general security during a raid in Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

— Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of general

Adjective

Rather than functioning as a general-purpose chatbot, OpenEvidence is intended to help medical professionals locate and examine information from clinical research.

— Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
The fix is to stop pretending a general-purpose adult chatbot is a children's tutor.

— Dana Williams, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of general-purpose

Browse Nearby Words

all-powerful

all-purpose

all right

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“All-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/all-purpose. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of all-purpose

adjective

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