Comprehensive means including everything important or covering all the necessary parts. A comprehensive study guide covers everything that might appear on the test, from major concepts to smaller details you might have overlooked.

When a doctor does a comprehensive exam, she checks your height, weight, heart, lungs, ears, eyes, and more, examining all aspects of your health. A comprehensive school teaches all the standard subjects rather than specializing in just math or just the arts.

The word suggests thoroughness and completeness. A comprehensive list of supplies for a camping trip would include obvious items like a tent and sleeping bag, but also easy-to-forget things like matches, a first aid kit, and extra batteries.

You'll often see this word in contexts where missing something could matter. A comprehensive plan thinks ahead and prepares for different possibilities. A comprehensive review of a book discusses the plot, characters, writing style, and themes rather than focusing on just one element. When something is described as comprehensive, you can trust that whoever made it tried hard not to leave out anything important.