all round

IPA/ˌɔːlˈraʊnd/
IPA/ˌɑːlˈraʊnd/

all round — adjective

1. able to do several kinds of work or activity well, instead of being strong in on

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

able to do several kinds of work or activity well, instead of being strong in only one area.

Example

After two busy seasons, Tariro had grown into an all-round coach for the youth team.

all-round + job noun for broad ability

Hari is our best all-round player, defending well and creating chances too.

all-round player for skill in several parts of a game

Common collocations
  • all-round player
  • all-round student
  • all-round coach
  • all-round candidate
  • all-round performer
Synonyms
  • well-rounded

    very close in meaning, but often stresses balanced development as well as ability

  • versatile

    can also describe objects and tools, not only people or roles

  • multitalented

    focuses more on natural gifts than on broad practical ability

Antonyms
  • narrow

    limited to one area of skill or experience

  • one-sided

    strong in one direction but weak in others

Grammar Patterns

all-round + noun

Usage Note

Usually placed before nouns such as player, student, coach, or candidate. In current British writing it is often hyphenated in that position, and it points to breadth of ability rather than talent in a single field.

Common Mistakes

Mina is all-round in math.
Mina is good at math.
'all round' describes strength in several areas, not one subject alone.
We need an all-round knife for this one tomato.
We need a sharp knife for this one tomato.
this sense usually describes people or roles with a broad range of skills.

2. covering the whole subject, system, or situation instead of dealing with only on

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

covering the whole subject, system, or situation instead of dealing with only one part.

Example

Apinya wrote an all-round report on costs, safety, and customer complaints.

all-round + report for coverage from several angles

After the merger, the college offered all-round training in planning, speaking, and teamwork.

Common collocations
  • all-round report
  • all-round training
  • all-round review
  • all-round support
  • all-round picture
Synonyms
  • comprehensive

    more formal and common in official or academic writing

  • broad-based

    stresses a wide base of topics or support, often in policy or education

  • wide-ranging

    highlights variety across many areas, often for discussion or inquiry

Antonyms
  • partial

    limited to only some parts, not the whole picture

  • narrow

    focused on one section instead of the full range

Grammar Patterns

all-round + noun

Usage Note

Usually modifies nouns such as report, review, training, or support. Unlike sense 1, which is about a person's range of abilities, this sense is about looking at every side of a subject or service.

Common Mistakes

We need an all-round answer to this one question.
We need a clear answer to this one question.
'all round' suggests coverage of a larger issue with several parts.
The class was all-round because it was fun.
The class gave all-round training in speaking, reading, and writing.
this sense is about broad coverage, not simple enjoyment.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'All round' and 'well-rounded' are very close, but 'well-rounded' often suggests balanced personal development as well as skill. 'Versatile' is broader because it can describe tools, performers, or workers that can do many different things. 'Multitalented' points more strongly to natural gifts, especially in music, sport, or the arts. 'Capable' is wider and weaker: a capable nurse may simply do the job well, while an all-round nurse can handle many different duties with confidence. If a footballer can defend, pass, and score, 'all-round player' fits well. If you only want to say someone is competent, 'capable' is usually enough.

well-rounded ↗versatile ↗multitalented ↗capable ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Built in English from 'all' and 'round'. The idea behind it is that something reaches all the way around a subject instead of stopping at one side. That image led to the modern adjective for people with broad ability and for reports, training, or support that cover every important part.