comprehensive
adjective
com·pre·hen·sive
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv 
-prē-
1
: covering completely or broadly : inclusive
comprehensive examinations
comprehensive insurance
2
: having or exhibiting wide mental grasp
comprehensive knowledge
comprehensively
adverb
comprehensiveness
noun
Examples of comprehensive in a Sentence
Natalie's every move was photographed, a documentation of a happy childhood as comprehensive as it was false.
—
John Gregory Dunne, New York Review of Books, 15 Jan. 2004
Inevitably, though, in so comprehensive an account, some important events and themes are cursorily checked off …
—Isabel Fonseca, Times Literary Supplement, 29 Jan. 1993
Walcott proceeded to misinterpret these fossils in a comprehensive and thoroughly consistent manner …
—Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life, 1989
a comprehensive overview of European history since the French Revolution
a comprehensive listing of all the paintings generally attributed to the Dutch artist Rembrandt
John Gregory Dunne, New York Review of Books, 15 Jan. 2004
Inevitably, though, in so comprehensive an account, some important events and themes are cursorily checked off …
—Isabel Fonseca, Times Literary Supplement, 29 Jan. 1993
Walcott proceeded to misinterpret these fossils in a comprehensive and thoroughly consistent manner …
—Stephen Jay Gould, Wonderful Life, 1989
a comprehensive overview of European history since the French Revolution
a comprehensive listing of all the paintings generally attributed to the Dutch artist Rembrandt
Recent Examples on the Web
Earlier this month, the Chinese government escalated things even further, subjecting seven rare earth elements to a more comprehensive export licensing program that covers the whole world and is designed to further choke off American companies.
—Zeyi Yang, Wired News, 23 Apr. 2025
Scientists with the forensic genetic genealogy lab based in Texas were able to build a comprehensive genetic profile using existing data for the then-unknown woman and ultimately found her identity.
—Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
All hiring and related data shall be shared with the federal government and subjected to a comprehensive audit by the federal government during the period in which reforms are being implemented, which shall be at least until the end of 2028.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
With his unique credibility on the topic, Dinges eschews ideological presumptions for a dogged, comprehensive investigation of the facts.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for comprehensive
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Zeyi Yang, Wired News, 23 Apr. 2025
Scientists with the forensic genetic genealogy lab based in Texas were able to build a comprehensive genetic profile using existing data for the then-unknown woman and ultimately found her identity.
—Audrey Conklin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
All hiring and related data shall be shared with the federal government and subjected to a comprehensive audit by the federal government during the period in which reforms are being implemented, which shall be at least until the end of 2028.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
With his unique credibility on the topic, Dinges eschews ideological presumptions for a dogged, comprehensive investigation of the facts.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for comprehensive
Cite this Entry
“Comprehensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprehensive. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
comprehensive
adjective
com·pre·hen·sive
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv
: including much or all : full
a comprehensive course of study
a comprehensive list
comprehensiveness
noun
Legal Definition
comprehensive
adjective
com·pre·hen·sive
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen-siv
: covering completely or broadly
a comprehensive insurance policy
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