adjective
exhaustive
ihg-ZAWS-tihv
adjective
1
Covering every possible detail or angle; extremely thorough.
"The report gives an exhaustive account of the company's finances."
"Detectives ran an exhaustive search of the property."
How to Use Exhaustive
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSo complete and detailed that nothing has been left out.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "exhausting" (tiring) — "exhaustive" describes thoroughness, not tiredness, though a very exhaustive task can also be exhausting.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
an exhaustive list
an exhaustive search
exhaustive research
Word Forms
more exhaustive comparative, most exhaustive superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “exhaustive”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The report gives an _____ account of the company's finances.
Etymology
From the same root as "exhaust" — the idea of thoroughness comes from treating a subject until nothing is left to add.