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.
Indeed, the response to Coppola’s cross-country tour came off less like the beginnings of an underground fan base, and more like a film community tolerating an auteur’s exhaustive defense of his work. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 18 Aug. 2025 These figures are almost certainly undercounts: The data is likely not exhaustive and the real number of Cubans currently targeted by immigration authorities is likely higher. Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025 After an exhaustive search, Wilder finally found an ideal spot in the more easterly L.A. neighborhood of Hancock Park. Scott Huver, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025 The flagship offerings from Bose and Sony offer similarly broad support for high-end codecs, but Edifier's list is impressively exhaustive. PC Magazine, 24 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 3 Sep. 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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