all-purpose

adjective

all-pur·​pose ˈȯl-ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce all-purpose (audio)
: suited for many purposes or uses

Examples of all-purpose in a Sentence

there's nothing wrong with all-purpose flour for baking bread, but flour with more gluten is better
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.
Amazon $496 Walmart $400 Best Buy $400 Williams-Sonoma Breville makes the best all-purpose ovens in the game. Simon Hill, Wired News, 12 July 2025 Use a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer, like 10-10-10. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 July 2025 This multi-model system can outperform an all-purpose model and deliver better outcomes with greater explainability. Ian Wilding, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025 She’s been found and retrieved by Thurman’s all-purpose bad guy, who goes by the supervillain handle Discord. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for all-purpose

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-purpose was in 1867

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Cite this Entry

“All-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-purpose. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

all-purpose

adjective
all-pur·​pose
-ˈpər-pəs
: suitable for many uses
an all-purpose tool

More from Merriam-Webster on all-purpose

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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