detailed
Americanadjective
-
having many details.
a detailed problem.
- Synonyms:
- complicated, complex, involved
-
thorough in the treatment of details; minute.
a detailed report.
- Synonyms:
- comprehensive, thorough, exhaustive
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of detailed
Explanation
Use the adjective detailed when you're talking about something that's full of specific points or facts. A detailed weather report includes temperature, cloud cover, and the possibility of rain. Something that's detailed is focused on the fine points or small aspects — a detailed portrait of your grandmother includes every wisp of hair and subtle shade of skin. Detailed explanations take some time, because the person doing the explaining isn't leaving any detail out. The literal Old French meaning of the noun detail is "a cutting in pieces," and it's used to mean "small piece or quantity."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Detailed and 111 pages, this isn’t a frivolous bill.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Detailed information on such funds’ credit or equity positions is as private as the holdings themselves, making it difficult to either prove or dispel concerns.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Detailed computer simulations and studies of the planets' orbits ruled out both scenarios.
From Science Daily • Feb. 14, 2026
Detailed minefield plans would then have to be drawn up, on paper and via a smartphone app which is in development.
From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026
The October 28, 1872, edition of Woodhull & Claflin's Weekly featured an article with the title “The Beecher-Tilton Scandal Case, the Detailed Statement of the Whole Matter.”
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
