# comprehensive

/ˌkɑmpɹiˈhɛnsɪv/ (US) · /kˌɒmpɹɪhˈɛnsɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/comprehensive
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. complete and thorough

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic

including all or nearly all the facts, details, or items that are needed.

For teachers: covering a broad range of elements or including all necessary details; exhaustive in scope.

- The city guide provides a comprehensive list of all the best restaurants.
- The researchers conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature before proposing their new hypothesis to the faculty.

Usage: Often used to describe lists, studies, insurance, or reviews.

### 2. a type of school

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a secondary school in the UK for children of all abilities.

For teachers: a secondary school in the United Kingdom that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or financial means.

- Most children in this town go to the local comprehensive.
- After the educational reforms of the 1960s, many traditional grammar schools were converted into large comprehensives to promote social equality.

Teaching tip: This noun sense is specific to the British education system; American speakers would typically say 'public high school'.

## Examples

- The guide provides a comprehensive list of local hotels.
- The insurance policy offers comprehensive coverage for both accidental damage and theft.
- The committee published a comprehensive review of the environmental impact, addressing every concern raised by the local community during the public hearings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.