comprehensive
/ˌkɒmprɪˈhensɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkɑːmprɪˈhensɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv -prē-/ (ame, mw) · /ˌkɒm.prɪˈhen.sɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkɑːm.prəˈhen.sɪv/ (ame, ipa)
comprehensive — adjective
- comprehensivepositive
- more comprehensivecomparative
- most comprehensivesuperlative
1. covering all the necessary parts, details, or information about something, so th
covering all the necessary parts, details, or information about something, so that nothing important is left out
Manuela made a comprehensive list of things she needed to arrange before moving abroad.
make a comprehensive list of [items]
A comprehensive guide to the city's public transport system is available at the main station.
comprehensive guide to [topic]
The detective's report was so comprehensive that the judge asked no further questions.
Reema's comprehensive knowledge of computer programming helped her whole team solve the problem.
No single article can offer a comprehensive account of such a long and complex war.
- thorough
Emphasises careful attention to detail rather than broad coverage; suggests depth more than width.
- complete
Suggests that nothing is missing; does not necessarily imply broad scope.
- exhaustive
Stronger than comprehensive; suggests every single possible item is included. More formal and technical.
- all-inclusive
More concrete and commercial; common in travel packages, services, and bundled offers.
- limited
Restricted in scope or range.
- incomplete
Missing some parts or details.
- selective
Choosing only some items rather than covering everything.
文法句型
comprehensive + noun (report, guide, list, review, survey)
be + comprehensive
用法筆記
Commonly placed before nouns related to information and study, such as report, guide, list, review, survey, and account. Can also be used after linking verbs (e.g., The training was comprehensive).
常見錯誤
2. relating to a type of vehicle insurance that protects your own car and also cove
relating to a type of vehicle insurance that protects your own car and also covers damage you cause to someone else's vehicle or property in an accident
Mert chose a comprehensive insurance policy to protect his new car against any damage.
comprehensive insurance policy — covers most risks
Comprehensive cover includes fire, theft, and accidental damage to your vehicle.
Dylan's comprehensive insurance paid for the repairs after a tree fell on his parked car.
Kabir saved money by choosing third-party insurance instead of the more expensive comprehensive option.
- fully comprehensive
A common collocation in insurance that means the same as comprehensive, often used for emphasis.
- all-risks
Broader insurance term covering most risks, but less specific to motor vehicles.
- third-party
Opposite level of car insurance; covers damage to other people's property but not your own vehicle.
文法句型
comprehensive + noun (insurance, cover, policy)
用法筆記
Only used before the nouns insurance, cover, or policy. Not a general adjective meaning 'all-encompassing' outside insurance contexts. In British English, comprehensive car insurance is contrasted with third-party insurance and third-party, fire and theft insurance.
常見錯誤
3. relating to a type of British secondary school that admits students of all acade
relating to a type of British secondary school that admits students of all academic levels and receives its funding from the government, not from parents' fees
Most British children attend a local comprehensive school rather than a selective grammar school.
Ife taught mathematics at a large comprehensive school in Manchester for over twenty years.
teach at a comprehensive school
The comprehensive system was introduced in the 1960s to give equal chances to all students.
Anong's parents chose a comprehensive school for her because they believed in mixed-ability education.
文法句型
comprehensive + noun (school, education, system)
用法筆記
Used only in British English school contexts. In the UK, comprehensive schools are contrasted with grammar schools (selective by exam) and private schools (fee-paying). In other countries, comparable state-funded schools are simply called public schools (US) or state schools.
常見錯誤
comprehensive — noun
- comprehensivesingular
- comprehensivesplural
1. in Britain, a secondary school that receives government funding and accepts stud
in Britain, a secondary school that receives government funding and accepts students of any level of ability
Eri started at a comprehensive in Bristol when her family moved there from Japan.
start at a comprehensive — begin attending
The local comprehensive has a new science wing and a sports centre.
Both grammar schools and comprehensives are funded by the government in the UK.
Adina's older brother attended a comprehensive in Leeds and later went to university.
- comp
Informal abbreviation of comprehensive, common in everyday British speech.
- state school
Broader term covering all government-funded schools, not just the comprehensive type.
- grammar school
A selective state school in the UK that admits students based on academic performance in an entrance exam.
- private school
A school paid for by parents' fees rather than by government funding.
文法句型
a + comprehensive
the + comprehensive
comprehensives (plural)
用法筆記
Chiefly British. Usually shortened informally to comp in everyday speech (e.g., She goes to the local comp). Refers specifically to secondary schools for students aged 11 to 16 or 11 to 18, not primary schools or universities.