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Synonyms

see-through

American  
[see-throo] / ˈsiˌθru /

adjective

  1. Also see-thru transparent.

    a see-through blouse.

noun

  1. a degree of or variation in transparency.

  2. a see-through item of clothing.

  3. look-through.

see through British  

verb

  1. (tr) to help out in time of need or trouble

    I know you're short of money, but I'll see you through

  2. (tr, adverb) to remain with until the end or completion

    let's see the job through

  3. (intr, preposition) to perceive the true nature of

    I can see through your evasion
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. partly or wholly transparent or translucent, esp (of clothes) in a titillating way

    a see-through nightie
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
see through Idioms  

  1. . Understand the true character or nature of someone or something, as in We saw through his superficial charm: he was obviously a liar . [c. 1400]

  2. Also, see out . Remain with an undertaking to the end; also, provide steadfast support to. For example, I saw the reorganization through and then I left the company , or We'll see out the year in Florida and then decide if the move is permanent , or We'll see you through medical school but then you're on your own .

Etymology

Origin of see-through

First recorded in 1940–45; adj., noun use of verb phrase see through

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.

KeyBanc analyst Ashley Owens wrote in a Thursday noet that some Reddit reviews of a Valentine’s edition line of pants with a “scattered heart” pattern indicate that the fabric becomes see-through when bending and squatting.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026

It’s for any typist in your life, especially millennials nostalgic for the see-through gadgets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

Gauzy tops are worn with sturdy, oversized pants; see-through skirts, with bulky blazers.

From Slate • Dec. 14, 2024

“I hope that we have a new species for this area,” she says with a smile as she holds up a see-through bag of dead fish.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2024

Just lets me stand there and watch the dragonflies flit around with their see-through wings.

From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender

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.