extensively

extensively — adverb

1. happening over a wide space or involving very many parts, details, or ideas — as

1.adverbB2
Definition

happening over a wide space or involving very many parts, details, or ideas — as when a scientist reads many books on one subject, or a traveller visits many different countries

Example

Kemi has travelled extensively through Southeast Asia, visiting over fifteen countries.

collocation: travel extensively (visit many places)

The old library was extensively damaged after a pipe burst in the basement.

passive: be extensively damaged

Common collocations
  • travel extensively
  • research extensively
  • consult extensively
  • use extensively
  • damage extensively
  • redesign extensively
  • write extensively
  • study extensively
Synonyms
  • widely

    more common for geographic distribution or recognition; 'extensively' emphasizes thoroughness of coverage

  • broadly

    suggests a general or wide-ranging scope; 'extensively' implies more detail and ground covered

  • thoroughly

    focuses on completeness and attention to detail; 'extensively' also includes physical or spatial breadth

Antonyms
  • narrowly

    in a limited or restricted way, covering little range

  • briefly

    for a short time or with few details; contrasts with the thoroughness implied by 'extensively'

Grammar Patterns

verb + extensively

be + extensively + past participle

Usage Note

Frequently modifies verbs describing actions that involve broad coverage — especially travel, research, search, damage, and consultation. The adverb typically appears after the verb it modifies (active voice) or after the past participle (passive voice).

Common Mistakes

We extensively discussed the plan.
We discussed the plan extensively.
With a direct object, 'extensively' sounds more natural after the object or verb phrase rather than between the verb and its object.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four adverbs describe large-scale actions, but they differ in emphasis. 'Extensively' stresses the breadth and depth of coverage—whether physical (visiting many places) or figurative (reading many sources). 'Widely' focuses on geographic or social distribution: a product is widely available, a view is widely held. 'Broadly' suggests general scope without full detail: a topic is broadly understood, a rule applies broadly. 'Thoroughly' points to careful completeness: a room is thoroughly cleaned, a subject is thoroughly studied. For example, 'Kemi researched the topic extensively' (she consulted a wide range of materials), while 'Kemi researched the topic thoroughly' (she went into deep detail on each source).

extensively ↗widely ↗broadly ↗thoroughly ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very extensively
  • quite extensively
  • fairly extensively
  • so extensively

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from the Latin verb 'extendere' — 'ex-' meaning 'out' and 'tendere' meaning 'to stretch'. The literal sense is 'stretched out' or 'spread over a wide space'. The word entered English through French in the 15th century, with the adverb form 'extensively' appearing in the 1600s, extending the physical idea of stretching to also cover thoroughness and range of information.