exhaustive

adjective

ig-ˈzȯ-stiv How to pronounce exhaustive (audio)
Definition of exhaustivenext
1
as in thorough
trying all possibilities after an exhaustive search of our house, we still hadn't found the cat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comprehensive
covering everything or all important points an exhaustive survey of the nation's sexual habits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exhaustive When litigation continues after exhaustive federal review, the consequences extend beyond a single transaction. — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026 Despite exhaustive testing, experts could not figure out exactly why Jackie was so ill. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Julia Priolli, Head of Creative for Brazilian Originals at Amazon MGM Studios, says Versos rose to the top after an exhaustive search to find the film’s title star. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026 Even at the peak of the season (between exhaustive heat waves), some days are cooler and rainier than others, or even chilly with the sea breeze. — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exhaustive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exhaustive
  1. thorough
  2. comprehensive
  3. extensive
  4. full
  5. complete
Adjective
  • But with an overhauled leadership regime that inherited Penix, the Falcons needed a thorough assessment of each quarterback before the season.
    — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Gutierrez said his office will conduct a thorough and independent investigation.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of thorough
Adjective
  • China’s grain output reached a record 715 million tons in 2025, while national plans call for increasing comprehensive grain production capacity to about 725 million tons by 2030.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • In May, Raman announced a comprehensive Palisades recovery plan that touched on many of the demands fire survivors had been voicing for more than a year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of comprehensive
Adjective
  • All require extensive discussion which would bring up a multitude of additional questions.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Fault-tolerant machines require extensive error correction, which adds more hardware and control requirements.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of extensive
Adjective
  • Neither the names of the nominees nor how many seats Oasis sought could be learned, but to gain full control of the company’s board would require it to nominate five directors.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The only men were the mayor, the three members of town council, the priest from the Catholic church, Father Michael, and the reverend from the Baptist church, as well as a man with a balding head and a full moustache, his suit pressed and clean.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of full
Adjective
  • The hierarchy have applied a couple of touch-ups here and there, adding Germany full-back Nathaniel Brown and Ismael Saibari, who had an impressive World Cup up front for Morocco, but this is a near-complete team.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Lions controlled the game from start to finish, putting in one of their most complete performances of the season while keeping a dangerous San Diego side from threatening.
    — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of complete

Browse Nearby Words

exhaustion
exhaustive
exhaustively
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Cite this Entry

“Exhaustive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exhaustive. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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