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

Shane also looks, moves, and sounds thoroughly autistic in a way that is different from the usual mode that Williams detailed. —Sarah Kurchak, Time, 9 Jan. 2026

Be sure the adhesive dries thoroughly before using the stairs. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 Jan. 2026

Drain the water one more time, then rinse the scarf out thoroughly under the faucet with lukewarm or cool water. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026

Leaders can thoroughly test how changes made to products, processes and tools may contribute to time and cost savings in the real-world without disrupting operations. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above