all-purpose

adjective

all-pur·​pose ˈȯl-ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce all-purpose (audio)
: suited for many purposes or uses

Examples of all-purpose in a Sentence

there's nothing wrong with all-purpose flour for baking bread, but flour with more gluten is better
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Holiday, who is 6-1 and 211 pounds, had 658 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns last fall. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2025 How To Clean Cotton/Jersey Gardening Gloves Cotton makes a good all-purpose glove for raking leaves and tidying your yard. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 Apr. 2025 The gluten from wheat flour (e.g., all-purpose flour) helps produce air bubbles that contribute to a cake’s density and springy texture.219 7. Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Rdn, Health, 16 Apr. 2025 Today, the space is used as an all-purpose area for the residents. Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for all-purpose

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-purpose was in 1867

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-purpose. Accessed 8 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

all-purpose

adjective
all-pur·​pose
-ˈpər-pəs
: suitable for many uses
an all-purpose tool

More from Merriam-Webster on all-purpose

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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