Comprehensive — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Comprehensive (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. covering everything or all important points

   "a comprehensive overview of European history since the French Revolution"

   similar: all-embracing, all-in (chiefly British), all-inclusive, broad-gauge, compendious, complete, cover-all, cyclopedic, embracive, encyclopedic, exhaustive, full, global, in-depth, inclusive, omnibus, panoramic, thorough, universal
   related: broad, catholic, encyclical, general, inclusionary, overall, cosmic, extensive, far, far-reaching, grand, large, panoptic, sweeping, vast, wide, wide-ranging, blanket, indiscriminate, unrestricted
   near: circumscribed, limited, narrow, restricted, specialized, exact, precise, individual, singular, specific, incomplete, patchy, sketchy

2. not lacking any part or member that properly belongs to it

   "a comprehensive listing of all the paintings generally attributed to the Dutch artist Rembrandt"

   similar: compleat, complete, entire, full, grand, intact, integral, perfect, plenary, total, whole
   related: unabridged, uncut, undiminished, all-out, exhaustive, extensive, maximal, full-blooded, full-blown, full-bore, full-fledged, full-on, full-out, full-scale
   opposite: imperfect, incomplete, partial
   near: abbreviated, abridged, cut, diminished, reduced

3. trying all possibilities

   "comprehensive plans for covering just about any conceivable terrorist attack"

   similar: all-out, clean, complete, exhaustive, full-scale, out-and-out, thorough, thoroughgoing, total
   related: broad, extensive, far-reaching, in-depth, sweeping, wide, wide-ranging, general, global, inclusive, methodical, systematic, no-holds-barred, unhampered, unrestrained
   near: aimless, desultory, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random, cursory, shallow, slipshod, superficial, limited, narrow, restricted