ausführlich

Ausführlich is a German adjective and adverb meaning detailed, thorough, or extensive. It describes descriptions, explanations, or analyses that cover many details or aspects, often signaling a comprehensive treatment rather than a brief overview. In English, the closest equivalents are detailed or thorough.

Etymology and grammar: The term is formed from ausführen (to carry out, to execute, or to expound) with the adjectival suffix -lich. As an attributive adjective, it inflects for gender, number, and case (eine ausführliche Beschreibung, ein ausführliches Gespräch, ausführlich erklären). As an adverb, it remains in the base form when modifying verbs (etwas ausführlich erklären).

Usage and nuance: Ausführlich is common in academic, journalistic, and professional writing, where a reader expects a comprehensive account. It often implies both breadth and depth in the treatment of a topic. It contrasts with synonyms such as gründlich (thorough in process or method), detailliert (focused on precise details), and umfassend (covering the topic widely or completely). The choice among them can reflect nuance: ausführlich stresses extensive description, gründlich emphasizes careful analysis, detailliert emphasizes specifics, and umfassend emphasizes overall completeness.

Typical constructions: eine ausführliche Beschreibung, eine ausführliche Darstellung, eine ausführliche Begründung; in speech, one may say, jemanden ausführlich zu erklären oder etwas ausführlich darzulegen.

See also: detailliert, gründlich, umfassend. Ausführlich remains a versatile term across formal and informal German, suitable for indicating that information is presented with substantial depth and scope.