all-purpose

all-purpose — adjective

1. designed to work well across a wide range of jobs, tasks, or situations rather t

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

designed to work well across a wide range of jobs, tasks, or situations rather than being made for just one specific use.

Example

Viraj keeps an all-purpose cleaner under the kitchen sink for spills, counters, and the bathroom mirror.

attributive: all-purpose + noun (cleaner)

These all-purpose hiking boots work well on muddy trails, snowy slopes, and rocky beaches.

plural noun + all-purpose modifier across varied contexts

Common collocations
  • all-purpose flour
  • all-purpose cleaner
  • all-purpose tool
  • all-purpose knife
  • all-purpose vehicle
Synonyms
  • multipurpose

    near-identical; slightly more technical, common in product descriptions and engineering contexts

  • versatile

    broader; describes people, tools, or skills that adapt to many situations, not only objects designed for many uses

  • general-purpose

    common in computing and machinery; emphasises 'not specialised' rather than 'covers many tasks'

  • all-round

    British; often used of skills or performers ('an all-round athlete') rather than physical products

Antonyms
  • specialised

    made for one specific task or field

  • single-purpose

    literal opposite; designed for exactly one job

  • dedicated

    in tech contexts: reserved for one function, e.g. a dedicated server

Grammar Patterns

all-purpose + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used attributively (before a noun). Avoid 'the cloth is all-purpose' in formal writing; prefer 'an all-purpose cloth' or 'a cloth for all purposes'.

Common Mistakes

This tool is all-purpose for fixing things.
This is an all-purpose tool for fixing things.
used before the noun, not as a stand-alone predicate.
an all-purposes knife
an all-purpose knife
the modifier stays singular, even though it covers many purposes.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe things that work in many situations, but they sit in different registers. 'All-purpose' is the everyday choice for household items — flour, cleaners, tools — and is almost always placed before a noun. 'Multipurpose' overlaps almost completely but feels more technical and appears often in product copy and engineering ('a multipurpose vehicle'). 'General-purpose' lives mainly in computing and industry ('a general-purpose computer') and stresses 'not specialised' rather than 'covers many uses'. 'Versatile', unlike the other three, easily describes people and skills as well as objects, and works in predicate position: 'this jacket is versatile' sounds natural, while 'this jacket is all-purpose' feels awkward. So pick 'all-purpose' for kitchen and home goods, 'versatile' when praising flexibility.

all-purpose ↗multipurposeversatile ↗general-purpose

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • all-purpose solution
  • all-purpose cloth
  • all-purpose machine

Prepositions

  • for (everyday tasks, the home, beginners)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

A compound formed in English in the early 20th century from 'all' (every) and 'purpose' (a reason or use for which something exists). 'Purpose' itself entered English from Old French 'porpos', tracing back to Latin 'proponere' meaning 'to put forward'. The hyphenated modifier became popular as factories began making household goods marketed for multiple jobs, with 'all-purpose flour' being one of the earliest fixed combinations.