Meaning & use
extensive
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Covering a very large area, or including a great amount, number, or range of things.
Grammar: Compare with more/most extensive; often comes before nouns like area, network, or collection.
Patterns
- an extensive area
- extensive networks of something
- extensive collections
The farm includes extensive fields stretching down to the river.
She has extensive experience working with young children.
adjectivecomparable
Thorough and far-reaching, especially when describing work, study, inquiry, or effects.
Grammar: Often modifies abstract nouns such as research, damage, or discussion rather than physical places.
Patterns
- extensive research
- extensive damage
- conduct an extensive investigation
Extensive research is needed before the new drug can be approved.
The storm caused extensive damage along the whole coast.
Word forms
| comparative | more extensive |
|---|---|
| superlative | most extensive |
Common combinations
- extensive research
- Extensive research shows that regular sleep improves memory.
- extensive damage
- The fire caused extensive damage to the warehouse roof.
- extensive experience
- He has extensive experience managing large teams.
- an extensive network
- The charity has an extensive network of volunteers across the country.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wide-ranging
- Wide-ranging emphasizes variety across many topics; extensive emphasizes large amount, area, or degree.
- comprehensive
- Comprehensive stresses that nothing important is left out; extensive stresses sheer size or amount.
- broad
- Broad is the everyday, less emphatic word; extensive suggests something impressively large in scale.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: extensive or expensive?
extensive vs expensive
Expensive means costing a lot of money. Extensive means large in amount or area; the two are spelled and pronounced differently.
Practice
The earthquake caused ___ damage across the whole region.
Choose one answer.
Extensive means covering a large area or amount, which fits widespread damage. Expensive relates to cost, and intensive means concentrated in effort.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “extensive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.