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overgeneral

overgeneral

7.2
Saying something in a way that is too broad and misses important details
  • adjective
  • /ˌoʊvərˈdʒɛnərəl/
translation icon : generalizado
  • The report was criticized for its overgeneral conclusions that ignored important exceptions.

Examples

  • Avoid making overgeneral statements when discussing complex social issues.

  • Her overgeneral comments did not address the unique challenges faced by each department.

  • His conclusions are too overgeneral for this complex issue.

  • Don't make overgeneral statements about people's behavior.

  • The professor's overgeneral theories often overlooked specific case studies that were crucial for understanding the topic.

  • When writing essays, it's important to avoid overgeneral comments that fail to consider the nuances of the argument.

  • Her overgeneral assessment of the book disregarded the key themes that differentiated it from other works.

Synonyms

broad
vsovergeneral
469 3.7

General and not detailed, covering many things

stresses excessive range and missing required detail or limits
overbroad
vsovergeneral
  • Jargon
2 7.4

Covers things it should not because it is too general

focuses on lacking necessary detail or specificity rather than legal scope
too abstract
vsovergeneral
1 9.5

Hard to understand because it lacks clear facts or examples

relates to being overly general, not about abstract difficulty to grasp
oversimple
vsovergeneral
1 4.9

Too easy and missing important details to be correct

focuses on lack of necessary detail rather than simplicity alone
overinclusive
vsovergeneral
7.9

Applying to more people or things than needed for a purpose

is about being too general, not only about including extra items

Antonyms

3.9

Clearly defined and exact for a particular thing or person

353 3.7

Having many small parts or facts that you can see

How General

overgeneral
7.2
general
1.0
specific
3.9
precise
286 3.6

Surface Forms

overgeneral positive
overgeneraler comparative
overgeneralest superlative

Morphology

overgeneral = general (transparent) = over + general

Formed by the productive prefix 'over-' meaning 'excessively' attached to the adjective 'general', so the meaning 'excessively general' is directly derivable.

Etymology

Overgeneral is made of over- ('too much'), like in overdo, and general ('not specific' or 'broad'), so it means saying something that is too broad and misses the details.