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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comprehensives
plural
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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:
“Until California adopts comprehensive wildfire reforms to provide long-term certainty for customers, wildfire victims and utilities, the Legislature should not advance policies that increase regulatory uncertainty and customer costs,” PG&E spokesperson Jennifer Robison said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
But further downstream, where the flood took 10 minutes or more to arrive, they say a comprehensive warning system could potentially have saved a significant number of lives.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
“BIS’s latest comprehensive survey found $9.6 trillion of average daily FX turnover in April 2025, up 28% from $7.5T/day in 2022.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
Authorities enticed companies with comprehensive financial, tax and employment support packages -- some were offered three‑year tax exemptions and 10 years of free rent.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
A distinguished Canadian entomologist, Dr. A. W. A. Brown, was engaged by the World Health Organization to make a comprehensive survey of the resistance problem.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
When it comes to schools he's seen it all - from teaching maths in boarding schools, to running inner city comprehensives in England.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2024
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
Katharine Birbalsingh has taught in London comprehensives for over 10 years and this diary of a typical year in one of those schools will confirm every parent's worst fears.
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.
