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.
Any association between these vaccines and autism has been thoroughly debunked, and all the major medical and scientific associations immediately issued statements that they would not follow these recommendations.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2026
I am thoroughly unimpressed by this sudden, performative show of fire safety.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
Some of the buried objects had been burned so thoroughly as to defy explanation, while the abundance of gold—far more than can be found in China’s traditional Yellow River Basin—has perplexed experts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
The one-page documents, generated by a software program, took the place of the thoroughly researched files that federal immigration agents had traditionally prepared.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Damon Hininger, the president and chief operations officer of Corrections Corporation of America, the largest private-prison operator in the United States, is thoroughly optimistic.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
