Word
generalization
Phoneticsgen·er·al·iza·tion
/ˌdʒɛnɝəɫɪˈzeɪʃən/
UK spelling · generalisation
Definitions
01a broad statement
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a general statement that you make about a group of people or things based on only a few examples.
n. a broad statement or principle derived from specific cases, often used to describe a general trend or rule.
“It is a broad generalization to say that all teenagers love social media.”
“The author avoids making a sweeping generalization about the working class, instead focusing on the diverse experiences of specific families.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02oversimplification
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a statement that is too simple and does not consider all the facts, often making it unfair or incorrect.
n. an oversimplified or exaggerated conception or opinion regarding the members of a group.
“Saying that 'men are better at math' is a harmful generalization.”
“The report was criticized for relying on hasty generalizations that failed to account for significant regional variations in the data.”
Synonyms
03logical reasoning
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Mathematics Academic · Technical
n. the process of using specific facts to create a general rule or principle.
n. the process of inductive reasoning whereby general principles are formulated from the abstraction of common properties in specific instances.
“In science, generalization helps us turn observations into laws of nature.”
“The researcher sought a mathematical generalization that would encompass all previously observed edge cases within a single unified theorem.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“You can make generalizations about coffee quality and costs, but farmers need to look at the overall impact for their business.” “Let’s start from the basics: when we teach machine learning, we say that memorization is bad, because it leads to overfitting and prevents generalization.” Etymology
From general + -ization.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/generalization