comprehensive

adjective

com·​pre·​hen·​sive ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv How to pronounce comprehensive (audio)
-prē-
Synonyms of comprehensive
1
: covering completely or broadly : inclusive
comprehensive examinations
comprehensive insurance
This is where that comprehensive review of your finances can come in handy.—Kevin L. Matthews II
The 2015 study was one of the first comprehensive research efforts to tally up how much plastic ends up in the ocean.—Delger Erdenesanaa
2
: having or exhibiting wide mental grasp
comprehensive knowledge of a subject
comprehensively adverb
comprehensiveness noun

Synonyms of comprehensive

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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
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.
Artist Michelle Grabner will donate more than 2,000 artworks to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, making the institution the most comprehensive repository of her work. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 For more than 35 years, the Center for Leadership has offered skill-building courses and comprehensive leadership development. — Myrna Petlicki, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Start dates are below for a non-comprehensive list of public school districts in the Little Rock metropolitan area, along with some of the region's larger open-enrollment charter schools and private schools. — Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2026 Michelle Barkley, the association's president and a nurse at Cosumnes River College, told CalMatters that some student health centers function primarily as public health offices rather than comprehensive medical clinics. — Mckenna Mobley, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for comprehensive

Word History

Etymology

see comprehension

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of comprehensive was in 1614

Phrases Containing comprehensive

Rhymes for comprehensive

See All Rhymes for comprehensive

Browse Nearby Words

comprehension
comprehensive
comprehensiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Comprehensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprehensive. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

comprehensive

adjective
com·​pre·​hen·​sive ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv How to pronounce comprehensive (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce comprehensive (audio)
: covering completely or broadly
a comprehensive insurance policy

More from Merriam-Webster on comprehensive

Nglish: Translation of comprehensive for Spanish Speakers

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