extensive

American  

[ik-sten-siv] / ɪkˈstɛn sɪv /

adjective

1. of great extent; wide, broad.

   an extensive area.

   Synonyms:

   vast, ample, spacious, large, extended

   Antonyms:

   confined, narrow, limited

2. covering or extending over a great area.

   extensive travels.

3. far-reaching; comprehensive; thorough.

   extensive knowledge.

   Antonyms:

   parochial, confined, narrow, limited

4. lengthy.

   an extensive journey.

5. great in amount, number, or degree.

   an extensive fortune; extensive political influence.

6. of or having extension.

   Space is extensive, time durational.

7. 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 (opposed to intensive).

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extensive British  

/ ɪkˈstɛnsɪv /

adjective

1. having a large extent, area, scope, degree, etc; vast

   extensive deserts

   an extensive inheritance

2. widespread

   extensive coverage in the press

3. agriculture involving or farmed with minimum expenditure of capital or labour, esp depending on a large area of land Compare intensive

4. 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

5. logic

   1. of or relating to logical extension

   2. (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; see extend, -ive

Explanation

When something is far-reaching or expansive it is extensive. When your friend knows every single place and time that his favorite band has played any given song, he has extensive knowledge of that band. Use the adjective extensive for something that goes on and on and on. It works for anything that covers a lot of territory either in physical space, as in "the gardens at the palace are extensive," or conceptually, as in "her knowledge of the mortgage-backed securities market is extensive." If you are a farmer, you would also use extensive to mean that you are able to work a lot of land without too much effort or manual labor.

Example Sentences

Gray’s interest in the theater led him to UCLA’s extensive archive of papers by prolific Los Angeles architect S. Charles Lee, who was credited with designing more than 400 theaters globally.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Beijing has also sharpened its legal and regulatory toolbox, she said, and "has a potentially more extensive playbook", as seen in the recent blocking of tech giant Meta's acquisition of AI firm Manus.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Asked what steps were taken to protect civilians, the IDF said it made "extensive efforts to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals".

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Both Altman and Zuckerberg boast extensive property portfolios in California and beyond.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

And before the art teacher made the class do an extensive study of Frida Kahlo at the end of eighth grade, and Pradeep muttered that Frida’s mustache was nothing like someone else’s in our class.

From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali

Related Words

• broad
• comprehensive
• considerable
• expanded
• huge
• large
• large-scale
• lengthy
• major
• pervasive
• protracted
• sweeping
• vast
• voluminous
• wide-ranging