Meaning & use
generalize
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To form a broad conclusion or rule from specific examples or limited evidence.
See it in a sentence
It's risky to generalize about an entire generation based on a handful of interviews.
The study's small sample size makes it hard to generalize its findings to the wider population.
A note on using this word
In statistics and research, the ability to "generalize" results depends heavily on how representative the sample is of the larger group being studied.
Words with a similar meaning
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