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

Dry handles thoroughly after cleaning to prevent water spots and streaks. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026

Cooking oysters thoroughly greatly reduces the risk of infection because heat kills salmonella and other pathogens. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025

Blot spills quickly, then treat fabric with dish soap + vinegar, rinsing and drying thoroughly. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025

Additionally, the judge wrote in his order that Humphreys deserves to have the conflict of interest question researched and argued thoroughly so that a parole board free of conflicts of interest can decide his case at a clemency hearing. —CBS News, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above