as a general description

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as a general description" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when providing an overview or summary that applies broadly without going into specific details. Example: "As a general description, the project aims to improve community engagement through various outreach programs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

It's part of the mix on The ArchAndroid but it's uselessly reductive as a general description.

The Guardian - Music

Admittedly, this approach may not appeal to more conservative tastes, but as a general description of much of today's most successful experimental writing, it's not too bad.

The New York Times - Books

Now software companies are trying to deal with this bar-code babble, and introduce industry-wide standards.Although all bar codes contain some common information, such as a general description of the product, they have space for only so much detail.

The Economist

Feminists object to each element in this package as a normative ideal and as a general description of how science works.

SEP

Personhood is not, in fact, coextensive with humanity when understood as a general description of the group to which human beings belong.

SEP

This information is offered by ff Venture Capital as a general description of the subject matter presented, and is not intended to provide an exhaustive analysis of applicable Federal, state or local tax laws.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

The information is updated annually and includes information about education or experience needed for the type of job as well as an outlook and a general description of job duties.

WikiHow

We provide a general description as follows.

BioMed Research International

Neither of the malignant melanomas included here was diagnosed by the GP concerned: one was described as a 'dermatofibroma' and the other given a general description as 'red lesion'.

British Journal of Cancer

The remainder of the article is organized as follows: in Section 2, a general description of the system model considered is presented.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

As such, this formulation represents a general description for the selection of combustion models, thereby overcoming potential limitations of flame-topology indicators and regime-specific combustion models.

Combustion and Flame

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "as a general description" when you want to provide a high-level overview without delving into specific details. It sets the expectation that you will be providing a broad summary.

Common error

Avoid using "as a general description" if the context requires specific details or nuanced information. Over-generalizing can lead to misunderstandings or inaccuracies.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "as a general description" functions as an introductory prepositional phrase. It typically introduces a summary or overview of a topic, setting the expectation that the information provided will be broad rather than highly specific. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples across diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

29%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "as a general description" is a correct and commonly used prepositional phrase to introduce a broad overview. Ludwig AI confirms its presence across diverse sources, with a particular prevalence in science, news, and general writing. The phrase serves to signal that the subsequent information will be high-level and non-specific. While grammatically correct, it's important to use it appropriately, avoiding over-generalization when detailed information is needed. Alternatives like "in broad terms" or "generally speaking" can be used for semantic variation. Remember to contextualize and be aware of the appropriate register of speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in general terms

Similar to the original phrase, but uses "terms" instead of "description".

as a broad overview

Directly indicates that the statement is a high-level summary.

in broad terms

Focuses on the breadth of the description rather than explicitly stating it's a general overview.

generally speaking

Emphasizes that the statement applies in most cases, providing a high-level perspective.

as a rule of thumb

Indicates a practical and approximate statement, suitable for quick estimations.

for the most part

Highlights that the description is true for the majority but may not be universally applicable.

in essence

Condenses the description to its most important aspects, offering a simplified view.

on the whole

Suggests that the description is accurate when considering all aspects together.

by and large

Implies that the description is mostly true, with only minor exceptions.

typically

Describes what usually happens or is usually the case, offering a standard pattern.

FAQs

How can I use "as a general description" in a sentence?

You can use "as a general description" to introduce a summary or overview, for example, "As a general description, the software is designed to improve workflow efficiency".

What's a good alternative to "as a general description"?

Alternatives include "in broad terms", "generally speaking", or "in general terms". These phrases all convey a similar meaning of providing a high-level summary.

Is it better to say "as a general description" or "in detail"?

The choice depends on the context. "As a general description" introduces a broad overview, while "in detail" indicates that specific information will be provided. They serve opposite purposes.

When is it inappropriate to use "as a general description"?

It's inappropriate when precise or specific information is required. Using it in such contexts could lead to oversimplification or inaccuracy. Consider using it when a detailed explanation is unnecessary or would be overwhelming.