overgeneralize

American  

[oh-ver-jen-er-uh-lahyz] / ˌoʊ vərˈdʒɛn ər əˌlaɪz /

especially British, overgeneralise

verb (used with or without object)

overgeneralized, overgeneralizing

1. to generalize beyond appropriate or justified limits.

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Usage

What does overgeneralize mean? To overgeneralize is to draw conclusions that are too broad because they exceed what could be logically concluded from the available information. Overgeneralize comes from generalize, meaning to draw broad conclusions. Overgeneralizing is generalizing too much or in a way that leads to faulty conclusions. The noun form of overgeneralize is overgeneralization, which refers to the act of overgeneralizing or an instance of doing so. The word overgeneralize is frequently used in everyday speech, but it can also be used in logic, linguistics, psychology, or other fields of research to mean something a little bit more specific relating to the particular field. Example: The authors are overgeneralizing when they claim that all hospitals lack evacuation plans, since in fact only a small number of hospitals were studied.

Etymology

Origin of overgeneralize

over- + generalize

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

overgeneralize overgeneralized overgeneralizing

And — again to overgeneralize from my experience — users may not want a second Twitter either.

From New York Times ● Jul. 10, 2023

“There will always be individual differences among youth and we need to be careful not to overgeneralize or stereotype them,” said Mr. Plante, a Santa Clara University professor.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 21, 2023

“There are these periods children go through where they overgeneralize things,” Gupton says.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 6, 2021

Podhoretz’s mistake was to overgeneralize from his own experience.

From The New Yorker ● Apr. 24, 2017

To overgeneralize a bit, the first list describes things that parents are', the second list describes things that parents do.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

However, his project aims to humanize an issue that can get overgeneralized in political rhetoric.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2024

For example, they observed whether the parents switched the subject frequently, gave only monosyllabic answers or indulged in overgeneralized praise of their own parents without describing actual situations.

From Scientific American ● Jan. 4, 2019

But they both play fast and loose with reality to elude accountability and excuse their weaknesses with an overgeneralized cynicism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2017

That raised the question of whether Mr. Schiller’s claims of copying were overgeneralized.

From New York Times ● Apr. 2, 2014

In Lurie’s hands, overgeneralized, superficial passages are as common as bland government office buildings in Washington.

From Washington Post

But Sheehy was criticized for overgeneralizing, for focusing too closely on affluent professionals and for such glib expressions as “Trying Twenties.”

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 25, 2020

At the risk of overgeneralizing, when compared with the era we now inhabit, my generation’s youthful apathy seems outrageous.

From New York Times ● Sep. 17, 2019

Ross says there’s a risk of overgeneralizing when simply looking into whether trainings are effective: “It’s a little bit like saying, ‘Do you like restaurants?’

From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2018

Interfraternity Council President Simon Beck said in an email that he had received numerous concerns from fraternity members that “focused on the overgeneralizing and accusatory nature” of the signs.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 26, 2017

Now, in Reykjavik, despite being the recipient of numerous acts of kindness and generosity, Bobby began finding fault, negatively overgeneralizing, and snapping at those who’d shown him the most loyalty.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady