exhaustive

[ig-zaws-tiv]

adjective

1. exhausting exhausting a subject, topic, etc.; comprehensive; thorough.

   He published an exhaustive study of Greek vases.

2. tending to exhaust or drain, as resources or strength.

   a protracted, exhaustive siege of illness.

exhaustive

/ ɪɡˈzɔːstɪv /

adjective

1. comprehensive in scope; thorough

   an exhaustive survey

2. tending to exhaust

Other Word Forms

• exhaustiveness noun
• exhaustively adverb
• nonexhaustive adjective
• nonexhaustively adverb
• nonexhaustiveness noun
• unexhaustive adjective
• unexhaustively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of exhaustive¹

First recorded in 1780–90; exhaust + -ive

Example Sentences

"We want to reassure the public that our exhaustive investigations have found no evidence whatsoever to indicate any risk or harm to patients at our hospitals," they said.

From BBC

This isn't an exhaustive list, and you can leave your thoughts in the comments as well as ranking the 10 upsets and sharing your results.

From BBC

In a news release, the Justice Department said Tuesday that the new federal list of 35 cities, counties and states is “not exhaustive” and “will be updated as federal authorities gather further information.”

From Los Angeles Times

It would be almost impossible to come up with a full, exhaustive list, but here are a few examples of names who are absent, in no particular order.

From BBC

Here is a subjective and by no means exhaustive list of 13 native plants with gorgeous flowers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• comprehensive 
• encyclopedic 
• extensive 
• full-scale 
• in-depth 
• intensive 
• sweeping 
• thorough