all-around
Americanadjective
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able to do many things; versatile.
an all-around player.
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broadly applicable; not specialized.
an all-around education.
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inclusive; comprehensive; complete.
an all-around failure.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of all-around
First recorded in 1720–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The combination of an all-around dominant defensive effort, with the Trojans’ usual offensive mastery, offered a glimpse of what USC hopes it can be this season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
Everyone indulged in prodigious scenery-chewing, eschewing any subtlety that Puccini built into this tear-jerking piece in favor of all-around bludgeoning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
So when the 21-year-old took the acclaim of an ecstatic Emirates Arena crowd after being announced as the Glasgow 2026 all-around champion, it was all he had ever dreamed of and so much more.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
In the end, it was another tenacious, all-around performance from the current World No. 1, who now has five major titles and doesn’t really have a hole in his game, other than fatigue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
We’d all held our breath as Gabrielle Douglas took the all-around gold; as Aly Raisman won first on floor; and as McKayla Maroney came away with silver on vault.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
