exhaustive

adjective

ex·​haus·​tive ig-ˈzȯ-stiv How to pronounce exhaustive (audio)
: including all possibilities : thorough
conducted an exhaustive search
exhaustively adverb
exhaustiveness noun
exhaustivity noun

Examples of exhaustive in a Sentence

The list was long but not exhaustive. after an exhaustive search of our house, we still hadn't found the cat
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That's why the attorney general and the FBI director pledged at the president's direction to do an exhaustive review of all of the files related to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and his death. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025 An exhaustive in-depth investigation by The Post — okay, fine, a few conversations with staffers in Utah’s program — didn’t reveal any concrete answers to this particular riddle. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 7 July 2025 This exhaustive scientific work is complicated by ongoing legal and ethical concerns. Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 July 2025 The project has since been through a frustrating series of fits and starts, which IndieWire previously recapped in exhaustive detail after the last major development: Disney pulling the film from its 2025 release schedule. Rance Collins, IndieWire, 6 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for exhaustive

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1789, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exhaustive was circa 1789

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Cite this Entry

“Exhaustive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhaustive. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

exhaustive

adjective
ex·​haus·​tive ig-ˈzȯ-stiv How to pronounce exhaustive (audio)
: trying all possibilities : thorough
an exhaustive search
exhaustively adverb
exhaustiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on exhaustive

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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