catchall

[kach-awl]

noun

1. a bag, basket, or other receptacle for odds and ends.

2. something that covers a wide variety of items or situations.

   The list is just a catchall of things I want to see or do on vacation.

adjective

1. covering a wide variety of items or situations.

   The anthology is a catchall collection.

Word History and Origins

Origin of catchall¹

1830–40, noun use of verb phrase catch all

Example Sentences

The phrase “gender ideology” has emerged as a “catchall term” for far-right anxieties about declining fertility rates and a decrease in “traditional” heterosexual families, he said.

From Salon

The term “Ugly Cakes” — rendered in all caps, with evident disdain — was the author’s catchall for what she saw as a style gone off the rails.

From Salon

A pour-over will is a catchall measure to ensure that anything owned at death ends up in the trust if it wasn’t transferred during life.

From Salon

For over a century, Americans have used Spanish first names as catchall slurs against Latinos.

From Los Angeles Times

In some cases, they cited a catchall exemption that keeping the records private clearly outweighs the public interest, with no further explanation.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• broad 
• comprehensive