exhaustive

adjective

ex·​haus·​tive ig-ˈzȯ-stiv How to pronounce exhaustive (audio)
Synonyms of exhaustive
: including all possibilities : thorough
conducted an exhaustive search
exhaustively adverb
exhaustiveness noun
exhaustivity
ig-ˌzȯ-ˈsti-və-tē How to pronounce exhaustive (audio)
noun

Synonyms of exhaustive

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Examples of exhaustive in a Sentence

The list was long but not exhaustive. after an exhaustive search of our house, we still hadn't found the cat
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From the Great Hall draped in banners honouring legends from the past that welcomes fans through to the exhaustive Yankee Museum, reminders of the team’s glorious past are everywhere. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 30 July 2026 The Netflix film also highlights the FBI’s expansive, exhaustive search for Kaczynski, led by agent Joanne Miller, played by Shailene Woodley. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026 The research done is exhaustive, and the narrative formed by the team to present in episodes is sonically captivating. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 That’s a massive slow down from the exhaustive output Marvel previously delivered across theaters and streaming. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for exhaustive

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhaustive was circa 1789

Browse Nearby Words

exhaustion
exhaustive
exhaustless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exhaustive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhaustive. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

exhaustive

adjective
ex·​haus·​tive ig-ˈzȯ-stiv How to pronounce exhaustive (audio)
: trying all possibilities : thorough
an exhaustive search
exhaustively adverb
exhaustiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on exhaustive

Nglish: Translation of exhaustive for Spanish Speakers

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