exhaustive
[ig-zaws-tiv]
- exhausting a subject, topic, etc.; comprehensive; thorough: He published an exhaustive study of Greek vases.
- tending to exhaust or drain, as resources or strength: a protracted, exhaustive siege of illness.
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Origin of exhaustive
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
comprehensivein-depththoroughintensivefull-scaleencyclopedicsweepingextensiveall-outcatholicfar-reachingfullfull-blownout-and-outprofoundradicalthoroughgoingtotalfull-dressall-embracingExamples from the Web for exhaustive
Contemporary Examples
“Discord” proceeds to envelop us in this exhaustive, mind-racking debate.
They will also focus on the exhaustive nature of the investigation, during which staffers reviewed over 16 million documents.
Consider, for example, the exhaustive coverage Chris Christie has received in recent months.
Here, now, are the results of an exhaustive listening study stretching back to 1998.
An exhaustive investigation uncovered some 24 such events over the last year, or about one every two weeks on average.
Read This, Skip That: The Best of The Daily Beast in 2013December 29, 2013
Historical Examples
It was exhaustive and trenchant, and produced a great effect.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
This conclusion he had arrived at only after most exhaustive study.
Johnny BearE. T. Seton
I do not pretend to give you an exhaustive catalogue of such.
After exhaustive investigation (zero data) he still wondered.
Zero DataCharles Saphro
The most complete and exhaustive volume of the kind with which we are acquainted.
Aztec LandMaturin M. Ballou
exhaustive
- comprehensive in scope; thoroughan exhaustive survey
- tending to exhaust
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for exhaustive
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper