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
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.
To investigate this possibility, the researchers built detailed simulations of black hole mergers under many different conditions.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
The open-source system can also be used to monitor farmland and track which crops are being grown in which fields over time, building a detailed picture of UK agriculture.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Drug approval, product safety, and nuclear oversight require regulators to have a detailed understanding of hazards and mitigations beforehand.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
If your relationship gets more serious, you’ll definitely want to make sure you have more detailed conversations about money.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
She thrust a piece of paper under my nose, and I glanced down to see a detailed map of the campus.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
