Synonyms of exhaustive

exhaustive

adjective

ig-ˈzȯ-stiv 

1

as in thorough

trying all possibilities

after an exhaustive search of our house, we still hadn't found the cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thorough
• extensive
• comprehensive
• complete
• sweeping
• thoroughgoing
• total
• full-scale
• systematic
• clean
• all-out
• out-and-out
• wide
• methodical
• general
• broad
• in-depth
• wide-ranging
• inclusive
• far-reaching
• global
• no-holds-barred
• unrestrained
• unhampered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• random
• haphazard
• desultory
• aimless
• cursory
• superficial
• limited
• shallow
• narrow
• hit-or-miss
• restricted
• slipshod

2

as in comprehensive

covering everything or all important points

an exhaustive survey of the nation's sexual habits

Synonyms & Similar Words

• comprehensive
• thorough
• extensive
• full
• panoramic
• complete
• inclusive
• encyclopedic
• global
• compendious
• all-inclusive
• in-depth
• general
• omnibus
• universal
• vast
• broad
• embracive
• cyclopedic
• all-embracing
• broad-gauge
• cover-all
• large
• all-in
• wide
• overall
• wide-ranging
• far-reaching
• sweeping
• far
• catholic
• inclusionary
• cosmic
• indiscriminate
• encyclical
• unrestricted
• blanket
• panoptic
• grand

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• limited
• narrow
• specialized
• restricted
• specific
• precise
• exact
• individual
• circumscribed
• incomplete
• singular
• sketchy
• patchy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of exhaustive

Some have been coming here since the 2010 World Cup, and their steady presence and exhaustive supplies of duplicates have established this as the place to go. — Maria Jose Gutierrez-Chavez, Curbed, 17 July 2026

The transactions the Herald has reviewed are likely not exhaustive and offer only a glimpse into the complex financial movements of AFA funds that, besides the FBI probe, is also the subject of at least one criminal proceeding in Argentina. — Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

The official cause of death was exposure to winter cold, and despite an exhaustive investigation and widespread media attention, the case remains one of the Chicago area’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026

Our Awards Editor Marcus Jones joins co-hosts Anne Thompson and Ryan Lattanzio for an exhaustive (but hardly exhausting) rundown of the drama, comedy, and limited series categories. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 July 2026