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:
Some employees feared the team’s detection tool wasn’t comprehensive, according to people familiar with the concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Gutierrez said a candidate who is serious about demonstrating a commitment to good governance should be comprehensive in their financial disclosures and could divest from any stock holdings.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
But taken together, there are a number of worrying strands here that - without a lasting, comprehensive deal between the US and Iran - could well indicate a prolonged period of instability for the region.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Huawei said Wednesday that its AI system "Celia" had shown "comprehensive problem-solving capabilities" across several mathematical fields.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The most comprehensive studies of racial bias in the exercise of prosecutorial and judicial discretion involve the treatment of juveniles.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
Look, CSU and all regional comprehensives in this country have a budget problem.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2023
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
Overall some 44% of those on the list went to independent school, 27% to grammar school, 8% to a former direct grant school and 21% to comprehensives and other state schools.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2012
Professor David Woods, the chief adviser for London schools, said the "chattering classes" were wrong about the capital's comprehensives.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 27, 2011
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.
