General
General adjective - Held by or applicable to a majority of the people.
Usage example: the general mood of the nation was one of hope and optimism
Public is a synonym for general in widespread topic. In some cases you can use "Public" instead the word "General" as an adjective or a noun, when it comes to topics like group, common, politics, overall. popular alternative
Public
Public adjective - Not known by only a select few.
Usage example: the mayor's indiscretions have been public knowledge for some time
General is a synonym for public in known topic. You can use "General" instead the word "Public" as an adjective or a noun, if it concerns topics such as property, group, popular, politics. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Both words in one sentence
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As with most paranormal investigators, they're down on their luck thanks to skepticism from the public and a general glut of cases for them to take.
Source: Webcomic / Adler's Watch -
Repeated crowd shots showed a largely unexcited group of journalists/developers, mirroring the general reaction of the gaming public.
- That is not to say a Hero with Bad Publicity can't be this trope; if a tight group of True Companions trusted him implicitly up until that point despite the public's general opinion and were swayed by the villain's lie, then he is both; an Easily Condemned Hero with Bad Publicity.
Source: Easily Condemned
Cite this Source
Public and General. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/general/public
General & Public. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/general/public>.
Public or General. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/general/public.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "general" and "public" have occurred on timeline