adjective
- exhausting a subject, topic, etc.; comprehensive; thorough: He published an exhaustive study of Greek vases.
- tending to exhaust or drain, as resources or strength: a protracted, exhaustive siege of illness.
adjective
- comprehensive in scope; thoroughan exhaustive survey
- tending to exhaust
adj.1780s, from exhaust + -ive. Related: Exhaustively; exhaustiveness.