generalization
Americannoun
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the act or process of generalizing.
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a result of this process; a general statement, idea, or principle.
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Logic.
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a proposition asserting something to be true either of all members of a certain class or of an indefinite part of that class.
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the process of obtaining such propositions.
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Psychology.
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Also called stimulus generalization. the act or process of responding to a stimulus similar to but distinct from the conditioned stimulus.
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Also called response generalization. the act or process of making a different but similar response to the same stimulus.
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Also called mediated generalization. the act or process of responding to a stimulus not physically similar to the conditioned stimulus and not previously encountered in conditioning.
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the act or process of perceiving similarity or relation between different stimuli, as between words, colors, sounds, lights, concepts or feelings; the formation of a general notion.
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noun
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a principle, theory, etc, with general application
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the act or an instance of generalizing
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psychol the evoking of a response learned to one stimulus by a different but similar stimulus See also conditioning
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logic the derivation of a general statement from a particular one, formally by prefixing a quantifier and replacing a subject term by a bound variable. If the quantifier is universal ( universal generalization ) the argument is not in general valid; if it is existential ( existential generalization ) it is valid
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logic any statement ascribing a property to every member of a class ( universal generalization ) or to one or more members ( existential generalization )
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of generalization
First recorded in 1755–65; generalize + -ation
Explanation
Taking something specific and applying it more broadly is making a generalization. It's a generalization to say all dogs chase squirrels. A generalization is taking one or a few facts and making a broader, more universal statement. If all the girls you know play with dolls, you might make the generalization that all girls play with dolls. Scientists try to make generalizations based on research — the more data they have, the more accurate the generalization. Generalizations can be similar to stereotypes in that they are sometimes wrong and harmful. Usually, it's best to stick with specifics and avoid generalizations.
Vocabulary lists containing generalization
Argumentative Writing
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Argumentative Writing, List 2
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The VMI plaintiffs argued that even if a generalization that most women couldn’t make it through VMI was right, they were an exception that meant the blanket exclusion violated their rights.
From Slate • Jun. 30, 2026
This is a generalization not based on facts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
But what Jones and Whewell showed was that, specifically related to agricultural land, Ricardo had crafted a huge generalization that didn't map onto the reality of the situation.
From Salon • Feb. 1, 2025
However, until now, it wasn't clear whether stress played a role in memory generalization.
From Science Daily • Nov. 15, 2024
Wilkerson begins the paragraph by stating that the actions of her protagonists are universal, but she does not rest with that generalization.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
