thoroughly

adverb

thor·​ough·​ly ˈthər-(ˌ)ō-lē 

sometimes ˈthȯr-;

ˈthə-(ˌ)rō-

: in a complete or thorough manner

Police thoroughly searched the crime scene for clues.

Bats are extremely tidy: they comb themselves thoroughly, and don't gather a mess of nesting materials for their homes, as birds do.

—Diane Ackerman

: to a complete or thorough extent

We were thoroughly satisfied with the service we received.

thoroughly disgusted/delighted

By taking all the tricks in the game, one defeats the opponent so thoroughly that he may be disconcerted …

—Craig M. Carver

Synonyms of thoroughly

• systematically
• fully

Examples of thoroughly in a Sentence

they researched the issue thoroughly before deciding how to vote

I am thoroughly satisfied with her explanation of the events of that evening

Recent Examples on the Web

To avoid residue, use sparingly, rinse thoroughly, and spot-test surfaces first before cleaning. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 1 July 2026

This is the kind of simple outfit involves minimal planning, while looking thoroughly put-together. — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026

The ship will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before departing on its next trip later Thursday, the company said. — ABC News, 2 July 2026

Preparing skeletal specimens for display in museums or for forensic studies requires the bones to be thoroughly cleaned to remove any remaining flesh or soft tissue. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above