AllEncompassing

All-encompassing is an adjective describing something that includes or covers all aspects or elements of a subject. It denotes breadth of scope and often conveys thoroughness or universality. The term is formed from all plus encompassing, the latter meaning surrounding or including. Etymology traces to the verb encompass, which itself comes from older forms that convey surrounding or enclosing; the compound “all-encompassing” emphasizes total inclusion.

In usage, all-encompassing appears before a noun to indicate comprehensiveness, as in an all-encompassing plan or all-encompassing approach. It can also describe a plan or framework that aims to address every dimension; however, it can risk vagueness if used without specific boundaries. Some style guides prefer the hyphenated form; a few writers use “all encompassing” without the hyphen, while “allencompassing” as a single word is uncommon.

Related terms include comprehensive, exhaustive, universal, and all-inclusive. All-encompassing implies the widest possible scope, sometimes at the expense of detail; therefore, it is often employed in aspirational or analytical contexts about systems, policies, or analyses.

See also: comprehensiveness; scope; inclusive design; holistic analysis.

Note: The term is a general descriptor and does not refer to a standardized measurement; in precise technical writing, more explicit scope statements are preferred.