all-purpose
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of all-purpose
First recorded in 1925–30
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.
What on Earth possessed Nolan, a notoriously detail-oriented director, to tap the all-purpose flour of movie stars to portray one of the most storied heroes in literature?
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
Eventually, Chase became an all-purpose filmmaker—actor, director, supervisor, architect of the “Our Gang” series in its earliest incarnation, and master of every department at once.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
He also caught a touchdown pass in the game while accumulating 232 all-purpose yards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 2026
The new all-purpose councils - known as unitary authorities - are due to take effect in 2028 for a county of 1.9 million people.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
We enter the all-purpose store and sit down at the luncheonette counter.
From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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.
