thorough

1 of 3

adjective

thor·​ough ˈthər-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce thorough (audio)
 sometimes  ˈthȯr-;
ˈthə-(ˌ)rō
1
: carried through to completion : exhaustive
a thorough search
2
a
: marked by full detail
a thorough description
b
: careful about detail : painstaking
a thorough scholar
c
: complete in all respects
thorough pleasure
d
: having full mastery (as of an art)
a thorough musician
thoroughness noun

thorough

2 of 3

preposition

archaic

thorough

3 of 3

adverb

archaic

Examples of thorough in a Sentence

Adjective … one realized that it was the restaurant's thorough and even comic Frenchness that had made it so entirely New York. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2004
Bruce tells me to squat down and Koani sidles up, ears flattened, tail tucked away, and gives my face a thorough licking. Nicholas Evans, Daily Telegraph, 26 Sept. 1998
The job was uncharacteristically thorough for a Russian contract killing—three different types of bullets riddled Mikho's body. New Republic, 15 Dec. 1997
a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations The investigator will have to be thorough.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Amid a rise in fires and deaths, New York City enacts new e-bike rules The New York Bicycling Coalition published a thorough guide on how to pick the perfect helmet for you. Mason Leib, ABC News, 22 May 2024 That begins with a thorough assessment to understand patient expectations and to determine if 'baby Botox' is even the right intervention for a patient’s goals. Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for thorough 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thorough.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Preposition, Adjective, and Adverb

Middle English thorow, from Old English thurh, thuruh, preposition & adverb

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thorough was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near thorough

Cite this Entry

“Thorough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorough. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

thorough

adjective
thor·​ough
ˈthər-ō,
ˈthə-rō
1
: marked by or carried out to completion : exhaustive
a thorough search
2
: careful about detail
a thorough worker
thoroughly adverb
thoroughness noun
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English thorow "thorough," from Old English thuruh, thurh "through" — related to thrill, through see Word History at thrill

More from Merriam-Webster on thorough

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