1
a(1)
—used as a function word to indicate movement into at one side or point and out at another and especially the opposite side of
drove a nail through the board
(2)
: by way of
left through the door
(3)
—used as a function word to indicate passage from one end or boundary to another
a highway through the forest
a road through the desert
(4)
: without stopping for : past
drove through a red light
b
—used as a function word to indicate passage into and out of a treatment, handling, or process
the matter has already passed through her hands
2
—used as a function word to indicate means, agency, or intermediacy: such as
a
: by means of : by the agency of
b
: because of
failed through ignorance
c
: by common descent from or relationship with
related through their grandfather
3
a
: over the whole surface or extent of : throughout
homes scattered through the valley
b
—used as a function word to indicate movement within a large expanse
flew through the air
c
—used as a function word to indicate exposure to a specified set of conditions
put him through hell
4
—used as a function word to indicate a period of time: such as
a
: during the entire period of
all through her life
b
: from the beginning to the end of
the tower stood through the earthquake
c
: to and including
Monday through Friday
5
a
—used as a function word to indicate completion or exhaustion
got through the book
went through the money in a year
b
—used as a function word to indicate acceptance or approval especially by an official body
got the bill through the legislature
1
: from one end or side to the other
2
a
: from beginning to end
b
: to completion, conclusion, or accomplishment
see it through
3
: to the core : completely
soaked through
4
: into the open : out
break through
2
3
a
: initiated at and destined for points outside a local zone
through traffic
b(1)
: going from point of origin to destination without change or reshipment
a through train
(2)
: of or relating to such movement
a through ticket
Synonyms
Examples of through in a Sentence
Preposition
He hit the nail through the wood.
She looked through the binoculars.
The bullet had gone through his hand.
He just walked through the door.
The security guards pushed their way through the crowd.
She could see a figure through the fog.
I looked through the window.
Adverb
Let these people go through, please.
The nail went completely through.
It snowed heavily, but we made it through.
We'll never get through—the mud is too deep.
The package was shipped through to New Orleans.
Read the essay through and tell me what you think.
Adjective
When the police were through with him, a taxi took him, his suitcase, the homburg funeral hat, in the other direction …
—
Annie Proulx, Atlantic, November 1997
I tell him I like fanzines. This one's mad, he says, really mad. I can borrow it when he's through.
—Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
Today though, once experience shows on a woman's face, she's through.
—Patricia Volk, New Woman, November 1990
I'm not through yet. I have one more topic to discuss.
If you're through using the phone, I'd like to use it next.
Is this a through road?
The left lane is for through traffic only.
Annie Proulx, Atlantic, November 1997
I tell him I like fanzines. This one's mad, he says, really mad. I can borrow it when he's through.
—Lynne Tillman, Motion Sickness, 1991
Today though, once experience shows on a woman's face, she's through.
—Patricia Volk, New Woman, November 1990
I'm not through yet. I have one more topic to discuss.
If you're through using the phone, I'd like to use it next.
Is this a through road?
The left lane is for through traffic only.
Recent Examples on the WebFrank Rizzo, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Professional backgrounds had been discussed openly since jury selection began, as candidates read answers to a lengthy biographical questionnaire and also spoke about their jobs through voir dire questioning by the prosecution and defense.
—Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2024
At the same time, the EU is seeking to push through stringent nature and agricultural laws as part of its Green Deal to make the bloc climate-neutral by 2050.
—Raf Casert, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
But through the darkness, she’s also seen good from the people of Metropolis.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
Sal's Pizza in Sussex is open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
—Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
This is true from tough environments through to the boardroom.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
One of the best ways to watch Bravo online is through Hulu, which offers ways to stream Bravo shows both live on TV and on-demand.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
Bobrovsky made several strong saves midway through the second to keep the game tied, including a cross-crease pad stop on Morgan Geekie, who corralled a Brad Marchand pass in the right circle.
—Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Each pixel has a colored filter over it (either red, green, or blue), which only allows specific wavelengths of light to go through.
—Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 18 Apr. 2024
But able adults and sure-footed children regularly make their way through.
—Blake Snow, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Olivia Stroh, the mother of Cobb’s 7-year-old son, called for justice and spoke about the trauma her son is going through.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
Currently 60% off, this adorable pink and green Melissa & Doug Flower Sprinkler Toy takes it up a notch by playfully spraying water out of each flower, giving my kids more jets of water to dodge or dash through.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 15 Apr. 2024
In these cases, an infected cell started copying a viral genome only to reverse partway through and then copy the genome backward to its starting point.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Transfer skillet to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
—Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
But there was still a simmering intensity to Sohn’s musicianship that heartily won over the crowd before her half-hour was through.
—Journal Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2024
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024
On a recent drive through the area, cars were parked in the bus-only lane, while other vehicles blocked a through-lane on Pennsylvania Avenue.
—Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 16 May 2023
When facing hard challenges, the only way out is through, and the best way through is to be informed and awake.
—Paul Buccieri, Variety, 16 Feb. 2023
The plan is to maintain the rural property, with its creeks, grassy hills and oak woodlands, in its current, largely natural state and eventually build a through-trail for hikers.
—Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2023
But with anything in life, the only way is through.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2023
Anthony latched onto a through ball with three minutes left in double overtime, beat two Moeller defenders and slotted home the winning goal to send the Eagles to their first state appearance in school history.
—Brendan Connelly, The Enquirer, 10 Nov. 2022
Pomykal played a through ball into the box as Ferreira started his run.
—Jon Arnold, Dallas News, 24 July 2022
The Pride had a scoring opportunity in the 16th minute on a defense-splitting run from forward Darian Jenkins, who was targeted by midfielder Erika Tymrak with a through ball into the penalty area.
—Wire Reports, Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2022
Preposition
There’s a lot of ground to cover over the seven-year homestretch to ratification, and Taub and director Leigh Silverman barrel through it efficiently and effectively with artful modulations of intensity, humor, sadness, spunk and joy.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 19 Apr. 2024
Professional backgrounds had been discussed openly since jury selection began, as candidates read answers to a lengthy biographical questionnaire and also spoke about their jobs through voir dire questioning by the prosecution and defense.
—Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2024
At the same time, the EU is seeking to push through stringent nature and agricultural laws as part of its Green Deal to make the bloc climate-neutral by 2050.
—Raf Casert, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
But through the darkness, she’s also seen good from the people of Metropolis.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
Sal's Pizza in Sussex is open 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
—Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2024
This is true from tough environments through to the boardroom.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
One of the best ways to watch Bravo online is through Hulu, which offers ways to stream Bravo shows both live on TV and on-demand.
—Tim Chan, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Apr. 2024
Bobrovsky made several strong saves midway through the second to keep the game tied, including a cross-crease pad stop on Morgan Geekie, who corralled a Brad Marchand pass in the right circle.
—Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2024
Adverb
Eventually, Michelle started posting the videos on Instagram to educate friends and family about what Hannah was going through.
—USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2024
Each pixel has a colored filter over it (either red, green, or blue), which only allows specific wavelengths of light to go through.
—Briley Lewis, Popular Science, 18 Apr. 2024
But able adults and sure-footed children regularly make their way through.
—Blake Snow, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Olivia Stroh, the mother of Cobb’s 7-year-old son, called for justice and spoke about the trauma her son is going through.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024
Currently 60% off, this adorable pink and green Melissa & Doug Flower Sprinkler Toy takes it up a notch by playfully spraying water out of each flower, giving my kids more jets of water to dodge or dash through.
—Laura Lu, Parents, 15 Apr. 2024
In these cases, an infected cell started copying a viral genome only to reverse partway through and then copy the genome backward to its starting point.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Apr. 2024
Transfer skillet to oven and cook, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.
—Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
But there was still a simmering intensity to Sohn’s musicianship that heartily won over the crowd before her half-hour was through.
—Journal Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2024
Adjective
But that’s the universal struggle and the only way is through.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024
On a recent drive through the area, cars were parked in the bus-only lane, while other vehicles blocked a through-lane on Pennsylvania Avenue.
—Courtland Milloy, Washington Post, 16 May 2023
When facing hard challenges, the only way out is through, and the best way through is to be informed and awake.
—Paul Buccieri, Variety, 16 Feb. 2023
The plan is to maintain the rural property, with its creeks, grassy hills and oak woodlands, in its current, largely natural state and eventually build a through-trail for hikers.
—Kurtis Alexander, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Apr. 2023
But with anything in life, the only way is through.
—Alexis Jones, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2023
Anthony latched onto a through ball with three minutes left in double overtime, beat two Moeller defenders and slotted home the winning goal to send the Eagles to their first state appearance in school history.
—Brendan Connelly, The Enquirer, 10 Nov. 2022
Pomykal played a through ball into the box as Ferreira started his run.
—Jon Arnold, Dallas News, 24 July 2022
The Pride had a scoring opportunity in the 16th minute on a defense-splitting run from forward Darian Jenkins, who was targeted by midfielder Erika Tymrak with a through ball into the penalty area.
—Wire Reports, Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'through.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to through
Dictionary Entries Near through
Cite this Entry
“Through.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/through. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
through
1 of 3 preposition1
a
: in at one side and out at the opposite side of
drove through the town
b
: by way of
left through the window
c
: in the midst of : among
a path through the trees
d
: without stopping for
drove through a red light
2
a
: by means of
succeeded through hard work
b
: because of
failed through lack of planning
3
: over the whole of
all through the country
4
a
: from the beginning to the end of : during
worked through the summer
b
: to and including
Monday through Friday
5
a
: to a point of completion or exhaustion in
got through the book
b
: to a state of official acceptance or approval
got the bill through the legislature
through
2 of 3 adverbˈthrü
1
a
: from one end or side to the other
let these people go through, please
b
: over the whole distance
shipped through to Des Moines
2
a
: from beginning to end
read the book through at one sitting
b
: to completion, conclusion, or accomplishment
see the job through
3
: in or to every part : completely
wet through
4
: into the open : out
break through
through
3 of 3 adjectiveˈthrü
1
: allowing free or continuous passage
a through road
2
: going from point of origin to destination without changes or transfers
a through train
3
: coming from and going to points outside a local area
a lane for through traffic only
4
: having reached the end
is through with the job
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