extensively
Americanadverb
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so as to cover a wide range or area; broadly.
He reads and travels extensively and is regarded as one of the best-informed men anywhere.
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in a far-reaching, comprehensive way; thoroughly.
All the science departments have been extensively renovated, with new tutorial rooms and well-equipped laboratories.
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at great length or in great detail.
He spoke extensively about the threats his daughter faces as a transgender individual.
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to a great degree or in great amounts or numbers; a lot.
Although the river is used extensively by boaters, no official map has been developed to show the best places to dock, things to see, and hazards to avoid.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of extensively
Explanation
Something that happens extensively occurs in a wide or broad way — on a large scale or across a large area. When a hurricane extensively affects a state, the damage is spread over many miles. You might decide to extensively edit your anthropology paper after reading the one your friend wrote, or brag that your band will be touring extensively this summer, covering the entire Midwest. In either case, your effort is on a large scale. Extensively comes from the adjective extensive, and both words are rooted in the Latin extendere, "stretch out," from ex, "out," and tendere, "to stretch."
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.
Victoria’s Secret said it has engaged extensively with Blundy over several years.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
If a partnership were to happen, it would mark a departure from Apple’s traditional manufacturing playbook, as the company has partnered extensively with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Creatine is one of the most extensively studied dietary supplements and is generally considered safe for healthy individuals.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
At Ipsos, it is used extensively in market research.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Even though most of Japan escaped the glaciers that blanketed Britain and Canada, Japan was still cold, dry, and extensively covered with conifer and birch forests offering little plant food to humans.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
