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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.

"I thank the DWI for their thorough investigation and for their ongoing work to protect public health and ensure that our drinking water is safe."

From BBC

The Strait is a crucial conduit thorough which most Persian Gulf production is transported.

From MarketWatch

Orange County Public Works wrote that it was “conducting a thorough review” to ensure compliance.

From Los Angeles Times

Amina says her NGO, which we are not identifying for security reasons, usually performs thorough checks on beneficiaries before handing out aid.

From BBC

Leah’s book, The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism, is thorough, yet often unreliable, and obviously one-sided in support of the spirits.

From Literature

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.