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

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