exhaustive
- 01 C1 Advanced
including every possible detail or part so that nothing is left out.
including every possible element; fully comprehensive and thorough in scope.
Simple“The police conducted an exhaustive search of the house but found nothing.”
In context“After an exhaustive review of the scientific literature, the researchers concluded that no further trials were necessary at this stage.”
UsageUsually placed before a noun like 'search', 'list', 'report', or 'study'.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse this with 'exhausting'. Remind them that 'exhaustive' describes the completeness of a task, not the physical fatigue of the person doing it.
PitfallThe long walk was very exhaustive. The long walk was very exhausting.Use 'exhaustive' for a thorough search or list; use 'exhausting' for something that makes you feel very tired.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
making you feel very tired or using up all your energy.
tending to exhaust; causing fatigue or depletion of resources.
Simple“The soldiers found the long march through the mud to be exhaustive.”
In context“The exhaustive nature of the climb left the expedition members unable to continue without a full day of rest.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is rare in modern English; 'exhausting' is the standard choice for this meaning today.
Antonyms
“Exhaustive investigations in France and the UK have left police no closer to understanding who carried out the al-Hilli murders and why.”
“Exhaustive research by government lawyers – detailed in more than 1,600 pages of filings – claim internal company documents included warnings about the products being toxic.”
Borrowed from Medieval Latin exhaustīvus, also exhaust + -ive by surface analysis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.