extensive
Americanadjective
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an extensive area.
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covering or extending over a great area.
extensive travels.
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far-reaching; comprehensive; thorough.
extensive knowledge.
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an extensive journey.
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great in amount, number, or degree.
an extensive fortune; extensive political influence.
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of or having extension.
Space is extensive, time durational.
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noting or pertaining to a system of agriculture involving the use or cultivation of large areas of land with a minimum of labor and expense (intensive ).
adjective
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having a large extent, area, scope, degree, etc; vast
extensive deserts
an extensive inheritance
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widespread
extensive coverage in the press
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agriculture involving or farmed with minimum expenditure of capital or labour, esp depending on a large area of land Compare intensive
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physics of or relating to a property, measurement, etc, of a macroscopic system that is proportional to the size of the system Compare intensive
heat is an extensive property
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logic
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of or relating to logical extension
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(of a definition) in terms of the objects to which the term applies rather than its meaning
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Other Word Forms
- extensively adverb
- extensiveness noun
- extensivity noun
- nonextensive adjective
- nonextensiveness noun
- preextensive adjective
Etymology
Origin of extensive
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Late Latin extēnsīvus, equivalent to Latin extēns(us) (past participle of extendere “to stretch out”) + -īvus adjective suffix; extend, -ive
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.
The paper went through an extensive peer-review process.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
But critics have questioned both the practicality and cost of the plan, noting that the island's infrastructure would likely require extensive reconstruction.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
“Magnani was a visionary collector,” said gallery partner David Leiber, who oversaw the Morandi exhibition and the extensive export licenses that were required to get the works out of Italy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The Nerones hope to avoid the many pitfalls by doing extensive research before jumping in.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
After extensive travels during 1575 he seems to have decided to settle in Basle, and returned to Denmark at the end of the year to put his affairs in order for the move.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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.
