exhaustive

ex·haus·tive

adj \ig-ˈzȯ-stiv\

Definition of EXHAUSTIVE

: testing all possibilities or considering all elements : thorough <conducted an exhaustive investigation>

— ex·haus·tive·ly adverb

— ex·haus·tive·ness noun

— ex·haus·tiv·i·ty \-ˌzȯ-ˈsti-və-tē\ noun

Examples of EXHAUSTIVE

1. The list was long but not exhaustive.
2. <after an exhaustive search of our house, we still hadn't found the cat>

First Known Use of EXHAUSTIVE

circa 1789

Related to EXHAUSTIVE

Synonyms: all-out, clean, complete, comprehensive, full-scale, out-and-out, thorough, thoroughgoing, total

Related Words: broad, extensive, far-reaching, in-depth, sweeping, wide, wide-ranging; general, global, inclusive, methodical (also methodic), systematic; no-holds-barred, unhampered, unrestrained

Near Antonyms: aimless, desultory, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random; cursory, shallow, slipshod, superficial; limited, narrow, restricted

see all synonyms and antonyms

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