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walk-through

American  
[wawk-throo] / ˈwɔkˌθru /

noun

  1. Theater, Television.

    1. a rehearsal in which physical action is combined with reading the lines of a play.

    2. a perfunctory performance of a script.

  2. Television, Movies. a rehearsal without cameras.

  3. a step-by-step demonstration of a procedure or process or a step-by-step explanation of it as a novice attempts it.

  4. a pedestrian passageway or arcade through the ground floor of a building connecting one street or building with another.

adjective

  1. designed to be walked through by an observer.

    The zoo has a walk-through aviary where the birds are all around you.

  2. activated by a person passing through.

    a walk-through electronic scanner at the airport for detecting concealed weapons.
walk through British  

verb

  1. (tr) to act or recite (a part) in a perfunctory manner, as at a first rehearsal

"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

noun

  1. a rehearsal of a part

"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
walk through Idioms  

  1. Perform in a perfunctory fashion, as in She was just walking through her job, hoping to quit very soon . This idiom originally referred to practicing parts in a play at an early rehearsal. It was applied more broadly from the late 1800s. Also see go through the motions .

  2. walk someone through . Instruct someone carefully, one step at a time, as in He was very helpful, walking me through all the steps in this complex computer program .

Etymology

Origin of walk-through

First recorded in 1935–40; noun, adj. use of verb phrase walk 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.

“It is essential to get at least three in-person quotes, rather than relying on online estimates, as a walk-through allows movers to identify complications like narrow stairways or low-hanging branches in advance,” Sartore-Bodo says.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 23, 2026

They tell clients in a note that they need a live walk-through of the platform, which the Australian wealth manager says is best in class, to become more bullish over the longer term.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

Her schedule listed a 30-minute walk-through at the pier with the mayor, followed by a nail salon appointment and dinner at Bleu Provence, which serves wagyu short ribs and seared foie gras.

From Salon • Sep. 28, 2025

On Monday, the Lions assistant coach John Dalziel was asked about Hansen and he indicated the wing was fine, was taking part in the Lions walk-through session and was showing no signs of anything untoward.

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2025

We were practicing a walk-through of the exact paces Kwang would take the next day.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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.