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Synonyms

thorough

American  
[thur-oh, thuhr-oh] / ˈθɜr oʊ, ˈθʌr oʊ /

adjective

  1. executed without negligence or omissions.

    a thorough search.
    Synonyms:
    total, unqualified, sheer, downright, exhaustive, in-depth
    Antonyms:
    superficial, partial

  2. complete; perfect; utter.

    thorough enjoyment.

  3. extremely attentive to accuracy and detail; painstaking: a thorough analysis.

    a thorough worker;

    a thorough analysis.

  4. having full command or mastery of an art, talent, etc..

    a thorough actress.

  5. extending or passing through.

adverb

  1. Archaic. through.

noun

  1. (initial capital letter) the administrative policies of the Earl of Stafford and Archbishop Laud during the reign of Charles I: so called because they were uncompromisingly carried out.

thorough 1 British  
/ ˈθʌrə /

adjective

  1. carried out completely and carefully

    a thorough search

  2. (prenominal) utter

    a thorough bore

  3. painstakingly careful

    my work is thorough
"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
Thorough 2 British  
/ ˈθʌrə /

noun

  1. thoroughgoing policy, as adopted in England by Strafford and Laud during the reign of Charles I

"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

Other Word Forms

  • quasi-thorough adjective
  • quasi-thoroughly adverb
  • superthorough adjective
  • superthoroughly adverb
  • thoroughly adverb
  • thoroughness noun
  • unthorough adjective
  • unthoroughly adverb

Etymology

Origin of thorough

First recorded before 900; Middle English (preposition and adverb); Old English thuruh, variant of thurh 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.

A spokesperson for the Port of Dover says they are "waiting until current issues with the French technology are resolved and thorough testing at Dover has been conducted".

From BBC

CAIR, a Muslim civil rights group, praised the law enforcement response and called for a thorough investigation.

From Barron's

But he admits his process isn’t as thorough as that of magazine fact-checkers.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We urge full cooperation from all parties, including unrestricted access to relevant locations and prompt provision of information, for a swift and thorough resolution," the police said in a statement.

From BBC

"The airport is currently closed to facilitate the response and allow for a thorough investigation," the port authority said in a statement to AFP.

From Barron's

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.