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I'm looking for a word or phrase that describes when a topic has been subject to a preponderance of in-depth coverage, similar to "well-trodden" but more fitting. I'd like to avoid any kind of moralizing language like "trite" or "notable/important" in terms of how it's been covered—at most, it would be acceptable to say that the subject has been adequately covered—but I'd like the connotation to be just that it has been covered in a lot of sources.

Sample sentences:

We can say that issue of the tampon tax is [well-covered] now that dozens of journalists have written about it.

I can write her biography now that her life has been [well-covered in sources].

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  • I can't help you with a single word, but the phrase "put to bed" is often used in this context: "the issue of the Tampon Tax has been put to bed..."
    – Mick
    Dec 10, 2016 at 21:50
  • Not very different from your definition: "extensively covered" may fit.
    – Graffito
    Dec 11, 2016 at 0:28
  • Isn't something covered in lots of source an enchilada?
    – Hot Licks
    Dec 11, 2016 at 1:45
  • Maybe all-around, widespread, and I'd cautiously recommend far-heard as in a far-heard story [?]
    – Itsme
    Dec 11, 2016 at 12:31

5 Answers 5

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Well-documented may fit in the context:

  • based on or supported with a lot of written evidence.

MacMillan Dictionary

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More colloquially, it's been "done to death". According to the Cambridge Idioms Dictionary:

if a particular style or subject is done to death, it is used or discussed so many times that it is not interesting any more

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To place the emphasis on the notion that the matter has been discussed in great depth and breadth, you could use the following phrase:

discussed/covered extensively

extensive (Merriam Webster)

having wide or considerable extent

extensive (Cambridge Dictionary)

covering a large area; having a great range

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In scholarly articles, you would say the topic has been

well studied

In a more journalistic context, we say that it's been

well covered

I don't know how to document this. You could satisfy yourself that these two expressions are used the way you have in mind by googling with quotes, for example "has been well covered".

Here are your two example sentences:

The issue of the tampon tax has been well covered by the press.

I can write her biography now that her life has been well covered by various sources.

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Similar to Cambridge Idioms, I would say for a subject well covered, “It’s been beat to death”; comprehensively; extensively.

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