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.
As bleak, frightening and all-around life-ruining as the internet has proven itself to be, there was a time not long ago when the World Wide Web felt like a portal, not a black hole.
From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026
But even grave-robbing isn’t as unpleasant as the dynamics of the Morelli family, led by chief screamer, grouser, mayoral candidate and all-around non-people-person Linda Morelli.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
A former Tennessee star, Lawson brings Summitt’s brand crackling intensity to Duke, a mindset that she’s said calls for supreme confidence, chasing excellence and holding oneself to an all-around standard of success.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026
“Arista delivered an all-around strong fourth-quarter finish to 2025, as AI contributions drove robust growth across its cloud titan customers,” wrote William Blair analyst Sebastien Naji in a research note.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
Having Gin around to help Jet would have solved the first problem and been an all-around godsend but that still left the second.
From "How I Live Now" by Meg Rosoff
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.
