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.
Extensively trained in crowd management, de-escalation and restraint, SRG is the right choice to police protests around the city.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
Extensively covered by the media, the claim prompted congressional hearings, caused vaccination rates to drop and energized vaccine opponents.
From Washington Post • Sep. 10, 2020
Extensively renovated this year, the home has a modernized kitchen, four fireplaces and five bedrooms.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2019
Extensively renovated during Garth’s ownership, the Modernist-vibe house hit the market in July for $4.495 million and had an offer in hand in about a week, real estate records show.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 28, 2018
Extensively published as it was, Mrs. Wentworth never saw it.
From The Trials of the Soldier's Wife A Tale of the Second American Revolution by Abrams, Alex St. Clair
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.
