thoroughly
Americanadverb
-
in a thorough manner or degree; completely and carefully.
We will review the data thoroughly.
-
perfectly; utterly.
We thoroughly enjoyed the play.
Etymology
Origin of thoroughly
First recorded in 1450–1500; thorough ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Thoroughly means exhaustively and completely. No matter how thoroughly you clean every carpet, shelf, and windowpane in a house, there is always more dust to be found. Thorough comes from the word through, and originally meant passing completely through something. We use thorough and thoroughly now to show that we have really been as meticulous as possible in a given task. If a detective interviews everyone present at the scene of the crime, collects all the biological evidence, and takes pictures from every angle, then we can say she investigated the crime thoroughly.
Vocabulary lists containing thoroughly
Legend
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Out of the Dust
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myPerspectives 7.5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Instead, the government said it would deal with the issue "thoroughly and carefully", and took eight months to release the guidance.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
More than a decade into his political ascent, it’s remarkable how thoroughly the lesson of Donald Trump has been internalized by the apparatus around him.
From Salon • May 18, 2026
If they do, the Red Roses dominance will be tested even more thoroughly in the coming years.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
Tom, whose family fled Nazi Germany when he was a boy, is a thoroughly assimilated, tennis-obsessed Englishman who brings his own more conciliatory perspective to the discussion as a British Jew.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026
In the 1600s, religion permeated life as thoroughly as water or air.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
