Generalize

/ˈdʒɛn.ə.rə.laɪz/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to make a general statement or conclusion based on specific cases or examples.

From the data collected, the researchers were able to generalize the results to the entire population.

to formulate general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances.

It is often tempting to generalize personal experiences and apply them to everyone.

to derive a general principle or rule from particular instances.

He tends to generalize about cultures based on his limited travel experiences.

to refer to or establish a broad category.

In her lecture, she generalized the trends observed in urban development.

to extend a property or behavior from one case to another.

One should be cautious not to generalize findings from animal studies to humans without further research.

Late 19th century: from general + -ize.

generalize too much

To make overly broad statements that don't accurately represent the specifics.

generalizing from examples

Drawing conclusions based on a limited number of instances.

general

related to or involving the majority or the total.

specific

clearly defined or identified.

Throwing out a broad statement.

When you generalize about the group, you're throwing out a wide net.

Making assumptions based on stereotypes.

Don't generalize; not everyone fits that mold.