Word
generally
Phoneticsgen·er·al·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒɛnɝəɫi/
UK/dʒˈɛnəɹəli/
Sentence adverb
Definitions
01usually or typically
B1 · Intermediate
adv. in most cases or as a general rule.
adv. used to indicate that something is true in most situations or for most people.
日本語:たいてい※
“I generally wake up at seven, but I sleep late on the weekends.”
“While there are exceptions for emergency vehicles, the speed limit is generally respected by the local community.”
Usage
Often placed before the main verb or after the verb 'to be'.
Antonyms
02widely or by most people
B1 · Intermediate
adv. by most people or in many places.
adv. widely or popularly; used to describe a consensus or common knowledge.
日本語:一般に※
“It is generally accepted that smoking is bad for your health.”
“The new policy was generally welcomed by the staff, although a few senior managers expressed concerns about the timeline.”
Usage
Frequently used in passive constructions like 'it is generally believed'.
03without specific details
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adv. considering the whole situation rather than small parts.
adv. in a general sense; without reference to specific details or individual cases.
日本語:だいたい※
“Generally speaking, the project was a success despite a few small problems.”
“The report describes the economic situation generally, leaving the specific data for the technical appendix.”
Usage
Often appears in the fixed phrase 'generally speaking' at the start of a sentence.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “generally” in context.
Verb
01. generally accept
“Scientists generally accept that the earth is getting warmer.”
adv + verb
02. generally acknowledge
“They generally acknowledge that the new system is better than the old one.”
adv + verb
03. generally agree
“Experts generally agree that children should spend less time on screens.”
adv + verb
04. generally appreciate
“Customers generally appreciate it when staff are polite and helpful.”
adv + verb
05. generally associate
“People generally associate the color red with danger or stop signs.”
adv + verb
06. generally assume
“We generally assume that the shop will be open by nine in the morning.”
adv + verb
07. generally avoid
“I generally avoid drinking coffee late at night so I can sleep better.”
adv + verb
08. generally believe
“Historians generally believe the castle was built in the 12th century.”
adv + verb
09. generally consider
“Many people generally consider Friday to be the best day of the week.”
adv + verb
10. generally define
“Dictionaries generally define a 'city' as a large and important town.”
adv + verb
Adjective
11. generally applicable
“These safety rules are generally applicable to all employees in the factory.”
adv + adj
12. generally consistent
“The results of the two tests were generally consistent with each other.”
adv + adj
Etymology
From Middle English generally, generalliche, equivalent to general + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/generally
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0