exhaustive
adjective
ex·haus·tive
ig-ˈzȯ-stiv 
: including all possibilities : thorough
conducted an exhaustive search
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
In July, the Justice Department released an unsigned memo declaring that, after an exhaustive review, agency investigators found no evidence that anyone other than Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime girlfriend, had committed any crimes.
—
Mike Lillis, The Hill, 18 Nov. 2025
Still, federal law enforcement agencies have historically spent weeks or even months conducting exhaustive investigations before deciding whether an agent’s use of force was appropriate.
—Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
In an exhaustive and epic hunt, one researcher tracked down the pieces and fragments of the legendary Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, which was used for centuries in the coronation of kings in the UK.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 15 Nov. 2025
While many stars rely on exhaustive research and Method acting to embody their roles, Erivo's magic secret is perfume.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exhaustive
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Mike Lillis, The Hill, 18 Nov. 2025
Still, federal law enforcement agencies have historically spent weeks or even months conducting exhaustive investigations before deciding whether an agent’s use of force was appropriate.
—Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
In an exhaustive and epic hunt, one researcher tracked down the pieces and fragments of the legendary Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny, which was used for centuries in the coronation of kings in the UK.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 15 Nov. 2025
While many stars rely on exhaustive research and Method acting to embody their roles, Erivo's magic secret is perfume.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exhaustive
Cite this Entry
“Exhaustive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhaustive. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exhaustive
adjective
ex·haus·tive
ig-ˈzȯ-stiv
: trying all possibilities : thorough
an exhaustive search
exhaustively
adverb
exhaustiveness
noun
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