Expressions 概がい して 言い えば generally speaking; in general; all in all Kanji 概 outline, condition, approximation Related words· 6 概して is the normal modern adverb for “generally/on the whole,” whereas 総体 (as 総体として /総体に ) is a more formal, noun-based way to express the same idea.
概して and 総じて both mean 'generally', but 概して feels more formal and analytical while 総じて is common in everyday speech.
一般に states a general tendency plainly, whereas 概して is a slightly more formal way of saying 'on the whole,' often allowing for exceptions.
概して is a formal adverb for 'generally' that overlaps with the adverbial sense of 一体 (as in 一体に ), but 一体 also has noun, counter, and emphatic-question uses that 概して lacks.
Show 2 more Show fewer 概して leans toward making a general judgment or evaluation, while 概ね more neutrally states an approximate degree or extent.
概して is used to make a general statement about tendencies, much like およそ in its 'generally' sense, but 概して sounds slightly more formal.
Etymology The adverb is the て -form of the literary verb 概す , “to generalize” or “sum up.”
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