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.
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
Warm, soapy water or a gentle all-purpose spray will take care of most surfaces.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026
It’s betting on strong demand for enterprise AI products that make up for their lack of all-purpose power with task-specific customization.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
Yet all I could really taste was salt and that all-purpose fast-food flavor.
From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan
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.
