encompassing
The report provided an encompassing review of all project phases.
The report gave a thorough and broad review covering every stage of the project.
Including, covering, or taking in a wide range of things; comprehensive or all-inclusive.
She developed an encompassing strategy to address customer feedback.
She created a complete plan that covers every piece of feedback from customers.
Frequently used as an adjective modifying abstract nouns like vision, scope, strategy, or framework.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Use 'all-encompassing' for emphasis
When writing academic or professional essays, placing 'all-' before 'encompassing' strongly emphasizes that no exceptions or missing parts exist.
Gold Rule
Scope over space
Use 'surrounding' when describing physical boundaries, but use 'encompassing' when describing conceptual breadth, topics, or ideas.
Word Origin
From the prefix 'en-' (to put into or cause to be) combined with 'compass' (from Old French 'compasser', meaning to measure or encircle), originally referring to surrounding or taking in completely.
Usage Notes
While 'encompassing' can function as the present participle of the verb 'encompass' (e.g., 'The study is encompassing several fields'), intermediate learners mostly encounter it as an adjective or in the hyphenated compound form 'all-encompassing'.