comprehensive
Americanadjective
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of large scope; covering or involving much; inclusive.
a comprehensive study of world affairs.
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comprehending or thoroughly understanding with one's mind; having an extensive mental range or grasp, as of a particular subject or many subjects.
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Insurance. covering or providing broad protection against loss.
noun
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Also called comprehensive examination. Informal, none comprehensives. none comps an examination of extensive coverage given to measure a student's general progress, proficiency in their major field of study, or the like.
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the detailed layout of an advertisement, showing placement of photographs, illustrations, copy, etc., as for presentation to a client.
adjective
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of broad scope or content; including all or much
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(of a car insurance policy) providing protection against most risks, including third-party liability, fire, theft, and damage
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having the ability to understand
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of, relating to, or being a comprehensive school
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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comprehensivenessnoun
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noncomprehensivenessnoun
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precomprehensivenessnoun
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uncomprehensivenessnoun
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noncomprehensiveadjective
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precomprehensiveadjective
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quasi-comprehensiveadjective
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uncomprehensiveadjective
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comprehensivelyadverb
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noncomprehensivelyadverb
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precomprehensivelyadverb
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quasi-comprehensivelyadverb
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uncomprehensivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of comprehensive
First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin comprehēnsīvus; see comprehension, -ive
Explanation
When you want to describe something that includes all or most details, you can use the adjective comprehensive. If you get the comprehensive treatment at a spa, it might include a massage, a manicure and a facial. Comprehensive is from Latin comprehensivus, from comprehensus, the source of English comprehend. In business, comprehensive insurance is insurance that covers a broad range, offering protection against most risks of a certain type. It applies mainly to car insurance.
Vocabulary lists containing comprehensive
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Grade 9, List 1
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Jane Eyre
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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.
See Examples For:
Huawei said Wednesday that its AI system "Celia" had shown "comprehensive problem-solving capabilities" across several mathematical fields.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Survivors hoped authorities would seize the precious policy window to introduce more comprehensive rules.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
More angles give the public and investigators a comprehensive view of events—and confidence that they have all the available facts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Sykes also ordered that within 14 days, ICE “develop and file a remedial plan to implement comprehensive systems for medical care and disability accommodations.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
I don’t know how to put all of what we’ve seen and done together into one comprehensive something that will make sense to anyone but me.
From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven
Look, CSU and all regional comprehensives in this country have a budget problem.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2023
We were lucky enough to have a school field and a handful of concrete tennis and netball courts – riches beyond the dreams of most city comprehensives.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 8, 2020
From BASIS’s first year in 1996-1997, students who failed the comprehensives had to retake them.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 28, 2019
Pupils at grammars do get better results than they would at comprehensives.
From Economist ● Aug. 11, 2016
The new counter-extremism requirements will apply to all schools, primary and nursery as well as secondary, in village schools as well as inner-city comprehensives.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2015
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.
