Comprehensive Meaning
/ˌkɒm.pɹɪˈhɛn.sɪv/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjBroadly or completely covering; including a large proportion of something.
nounA comprehensive school.
Sentence Examples
I gained comprehensive knowledge of God after reading the bible.
This is a representative, not a comprehensive, list of various types of vaccines.
The manual provides a comprehensive guide to using the software.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The report provided a ____ overview of the company's financial status.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The thick manual provides a fully ____ guide to operating the machine.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from late Middle French compréhensif, from Late Latin comprehēnsīvus, from Latin comprehendō.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Nevertheless, the comprehensive comparative analysis of pumpkin viromes across various geographic regions by NGS remains deficient."
— 2023 August 26, Batchimeg Togoobat, Nan Wu, Xifeng Wang, Mengji Cao, Zhongtian Xu, “Viromic approach reveals differences in the composition, diversity and relative abundance of pumpkin viruses across main growing regions of China”, in Virology, volume 585, →DOI, pages 61-71:
"So what is it that makes SBB (Swiss national railways) tick? In my humble opinion, two things. Firstly, a comprehensive and set-in-stone integrated timetable (incorporating trains, ferries, cable cars and buses, including the world-famous yellow 'post-autos'), compiled four years in advance and which gets tested twice before it becomes operational."
— 2025 October 15, Vitali Vitaliev, “The recipe for Swiss bliss”, in RAIL, number 1046, page 68:
"Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting."
— 2013 July 19, Peter Wilby, “Finland spreads word on schools”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 6, page 30:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The report provided a ____ overview of the company's financial status.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The thick manual provides a fully ____ guide to operating the machine.