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.
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
Warm, soapy water or a gentle all-purpose spray will take care of most surfaces.
From Salon ● Mar. 19, 2026
The government is expected to announce in March whether Essex will go from two layers of 15 authorities to between three and five all-purpose unitary councils.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
If you look considerably slimmer, diary, it’s only because you have been my all-purpose supply book.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
