go through
Britishverb
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(adverb) to be approved or accepted
the amendment went through
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(preposition) to consume; exhaust
we went through our supplies in a day
some men go through a pair of socks in no time
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Also: go over. (preposition) to examine and revise as necessary
he went through the figures
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(preposition) to suffer
she went through tremendous pain
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Also: go over. (preposition) to rehearse
let's just go through the details again
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Also: go over. (preposition) to clean
she went through the cupboards in the spring-cleaning
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(preposition) to participate in
she went through the degree ceremony without getting too nervous
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to bring to a successful conclusion, often by persistence
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(preposition) (of a book) to be published in
that book has gone through three printings this year alone
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to proceed to the next round of a competition
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Examine carefully, as in I went through all the students' papers . [Mid-1600s]
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Experience, undergo, suffer, as in We went through hell trying to find an answer . [Early 1700s]
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Perform; also, rehearse for performance. For example, I went through the sonata in ten minutes , or Let's go through the third act again . [Mid-1700s]
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Use up, complete, as in The children went through all the milk we bought in one day . [Mid-1900s]
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Succeed, be approved, as in I'm sure this new deal will go through . [Late 1800s]
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go through with . Complete, carry out, as in They got engaged last year, but I'm not sure they'll go through with the wedding . [Mid-1500s]
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.
"If you go through Lincoln's history, Keith's name is going to be one of the biggest when it comes to what he did."
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
If we wanted our school to tap the voucher money, we’d have to go through some additional steps such as getting criminal background checks.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
"Obviously he was able to go through that."
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026
A federal judge approved a deal this week that will allow the $81 billion acquisition to go through.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
“Never go through here, this is the brain. Push the hook through this spiky part on the top, which is called the horn.”
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
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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.