thoroughness
Americannoun
-
the quality of being painstakingly and comprehensively executed, without errors or omissions; the act or practice of executing tasks in this way.
My old cookbook remains unmatched in the clarity and thoroughness of its explanations.
They were greatly impressed by the FBI's speed and thoroughness.
-
completeness or perfection.
I had my doubts about the thoroughness of his knowledge of the subject.
Other Word Forms
- superthoroughness noun
- unthoroughness noun
Etymology
Origin of thoroughness
Explanation
When you pay careful attention to doing a task exactly right, that's thoroughness. Your thoroughness in cleaning the kitchen means that no one would ever guess you spilled brownie batter all over the floor. Thoroughness is seeing something through with meticulous care — the word's Old English root means "from end to end." The thoroughness of your research meant that you really knew what you were getting into when you adopted a puppy. A newspaper fact-checker's thoroughness means she'll get all the important details right, and printed articles won't include mistakes. And a detective's thoroughness might result in the return of your stolen laptop.
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.
It seems unlikely that such a hodgepodge could offer the thoroughness of a traditional autobiography, but “Small Town Girls” does.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
An April report by Huntsman’s office “found that many allegations remain unresolved in quarterly reports, raising concerns about the thoroughness of investigations” under the federal law.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2025
Among its competitors, NordVPN’s privacy audits stand out for their thoroughness and frequency.
From Salon • Dec. 12, 2025
Like most laypeople, you’re not in an authoritative position to judge the accuracy and thoroughness of your estate-planning documents.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 6, 2025
Such jobs as weeding, for instance, could be done with a thoroughness impossible to human beings.
From "Animal Farm: A Fairy Story" by George Orwell
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.
