comprehensive
adjective
com·pre·hen·sive
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv 
-prē-
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
Kevin L. Matthews IIThe 2015 study was one of the first comprehensive research efforts to tally up how much plastic ends up in the ocean.—Delger Erdenesanaa
Delger Erdenesanaa2
: having or exhibiting wide mental grasp
comprehensive knowledge of a subject
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
Production code needs comprehensive error handling.
—Joe Toscano, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Rísquez is the co-founder and director of Monitor de Víctimas, an investigative platform that provides comprehensive data on violence in the country.
—Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026
While comprehensive, the study nonetheless highlights the lack of research into the topic – the team only identified four papers that offered robust data.
—New Atlas, 20 Jan. 2026
Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comprehensive
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Joe Toscano, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Rísquez is the co-founder and director of Monitor de Víctimas, an investigative platform that provides comprehensive data on violence in the country.
—Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026
While comprehensive, the study nonetheless highlights the lack of research into the topic – the team only identified four papers that offered robust data.
—New Atlas, 20 Jan. 2026
Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for comprehensive
Cite this Entry
“Comprehensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprehensive. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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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