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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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.
He added that the six complainants in the case were "not random", adding they were "thoroughly contaminated by the programme".
From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026
"We will examine them thoroughly and get to the very bottom of the matter in order to establish the full truth," he continued.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
“The diversion allegations against this regional cloud were thoroughly investigated and debunked last year.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026
According to the proposed scenario, the parent bodies of Bennu and Ryugu, along with the objects that produced CI meteorites, formed from this thoroughly mixed material.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026
Aunt J washed and shampooed my hair thoroughly when I got home that night.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
