generalize people

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "generalize people" is not correct and it cannot be used in written English.
If you wanted to convey the idea of making broad generalizations about a group of people, you could say "make generalizations about people" or "make sweeping generalizations about people". For example, "The media often make sweeping generalizations about young people."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

You can't generalize people.

The Washington Post

"To generalize, people here are in pretty good condition," he said.

The New York Times

I think everybody has to have a more calm tone when discussing these issues, and understand you can never generalize people.

The Washington Post

* It is very common to personalize people we agree with, but generalize people we don't agree with.

HuffPost

If endurance capacity, not body size, is a major factor determining daily activity levels, then the effect we identified in rats should generalize: people with high intrinsic running endurance should also have high daily activity levels.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

stop generalizing people with mental illness as violent.

Huffington Post

And, unlike other possible postpresidential addresses, like Scarsdale, it's not as easy to generalize about people from Chappaqua.

The New York Times - Magazine

Dug Claxton, Toronto, Canada/crew of Smoke and Mirrors installation, five-time burner If I can generalize, black people do not gravitate towards things that make them uncomfortable.

The Guardian

Since earlier investigations first studied U.S. boys and men and used these interviews to generalize about people's moral development, researchers noticed only one path, namely, the justice trajectory.

SEP

They object because it is un-American to generalize about people based on their faith, ethnic background and race.

Huffington Post

Our statistical design treated participants as a fixed effect, and body postures as a random effect: it therefore generalizes across ballet postures but does not make any attempt to generalize across people.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "generalize people". Instead, use grammatically correct alternatives such as "make generalizations about people" or "make sweeping generalizations about people" to ensure clarity and accuracy in your writing.

Common error

The phrase "generalize people" incorrectly uses "generalize" as a transitive verb directly acting upon "people". Always rephrase to use "generalize" correctly, such as "generalize about people" or "make generalizations about people".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "generalize people" is an incorrect verb-object construction. As Ludwig AI highlights, the verb "generalize" requires a preposition such as "about" when referring to people, or should be rephrased to "make generalizations about".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "generalize people" is considered grammatically incorrect, as highlighted by Ludwig AI. The verb "generalize" typically requires a preposition like "about" or should be restructured to "make generalizations about people". While the intention behind the phrase is understandable – to express making broad statements about groups – it's crucial to use correct grammar to ensure clarity and credibility. As exemplified in Ludwig, authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Washington Post sometimes feature the phrase, but it's typically within contexts that highlight its misuse or offer corrections. Instead, opt for alternatives such as "make generalizations about people" or "formulate broad conclusions about people" for more accurate and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make generalizations about people

Replaces the verb "generalize" with the noun "generalizations", providing a grammatically correct alternative.

stereotype people

Focuses on the negative aspect of generalizing, highlighting the creation of oversimplified and often unfair beliefs.

categorize people

Emphasizes the act of placing individuals into specific groups or classes based on certain characteristics.

draw conclusions about people

Shifts the focus to the process of forming opinions or judgments based on limited information.

make assumptions about people

Highlights the act of believing something to be true without proof, often leading to inaccurate generalizations.

form opinions about people

Focuses on the subjective aspect of developing personal views about individuals or groups.

lump people together

Emphasizes the act of treating individuals as a single, undifferentiated group, ignoring their unique qualities.

pigeonhole people

Highlights the act of assigning individuals to narrow categories, limiting their potential and individuality.

apply broad strokes to people

Emphasizes the use of oversimplified or imprecise generalizations when describing or understanding individuals.

draw sweeping conclusions about people

Emphasizes reaching wide-ranging judgments about people, potentially ignoring nuances and exceptions.

FAQs

What's grammatically wrong with the phrase "generalize people"?

The verb "generalize" is typically used intransitively or with a preposition like "about". The phrase "generalize people" incorrectly uses "generalize" as a transitive verb directly acting on "people". To correct this, use "make generalizations about people" or "generalize about people".

How can I use the concept of "generalize people" in a sentence correctly?

Instead of "generalize people", use phrases like "make generalizations about people" or "generalize about groups of people". For example, "It's unfair to make generalizations about people based on their ethnicity."

What's a more formal way to say "generalize people"?

A more formal alternative is "formulate broad conclusions about people". This phrasing is suitable for academic or professional contexts.

What's the difference between "generalize people" and "stereotype people"?

"Generalize people" is grammatically incorrect. However, the concept it tries to convey is to make broad statements about a group. "Stereotype people" implies making generalizations, often negative and inaccurate, that are widely held about a particular group.