through
preposition
\ ˈthrü
\
\
Definition of through
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a(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 foresta 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
3a
: 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
5a
—used as a function word to indicate completion or exhaustion got through the bookwent 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
through
adverb
\ ˈthrü
\
\
Definition of through (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: from one end or side to the other
2a
: 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
through
adjective
\ ˈthrü
\
\
Definition of through (Entry 3 of 3)
b
: extending from one surface to another
a through mortise
3a
: 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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for through
Synonyms: Preposition
Synonyms: Adverb
Synonyms: Adjective
Antonyms: Adjective
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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.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Preposition
Cruises not on the list will be cancelled through the end of August, and affected customers will have the option to receive a full return, according to Royal Caribbean.
—
Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY, 5 June 2021
The two Democrats on the four-member panel supported proposals to remove Witt from any committees that Rep. Breese-Iverson also serves on, and to ban Witt from chairing any legislative committees through the end of his current two-year term.
—
oregonlive, 5 June 2021
These offers are all valid through the end of June.
—
Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 4 June 2021
The appointment will last through the end of the year, Heis said.
—
Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 4 June 2021
And while 57% think disruptions from the coronavirus will continue through the end of the year, that's dropped 10 percentage points in only the last month.
—
Ariel Edwards-levy, CNN, 4 June 2021
Registration opened this year from April 1 through the end of that month for those who wanted to vote for delegates or run as one.
—
Faiza Mahamud, Star Tribune, 4 June 2021
Right now the team is sponsoring the Flippin 5K, a virtual footrace that runs through the end of the month.
—
Beth Bragg, Anchorage Daily News, 4 June 2021
Though this could also be attributed to the fact that for a number of countries on the continent, the data from national authorities only reflects the real estate market through the end of last year.
—
Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 3 June 2021
Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb
Add to the pan and cook until browned on both sides, turning the steak(s) over halfway through, until the center of the steak registers 140 to 145 degrees (medium-rare) on a thermometer, about 5 minutes total.
—
Washington Post, 3 June 2021
But 2021's count is already approaching that number, and the year isn't even halfway through.
—
Scottie Andrew, CNN, 30 May 2021
Each result in a company trading publicly, but one that’s gone through far less scrutiny.
—
Anat Alon-beck, Forbes, 25 May 2021
Halfway through, the driver apparently decides to start showing off for the cameraman in the trailing car.
—
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 May 2021
Bake until the scones are deep golden brown, 27 to 30 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 30 Apr. 2021
This is how the city would have looked if the plans had gone through — and what actually happened.
—
James Lileks, Star Tribune, 23 Apr. 2021
Bake until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes total, flipping once halfway through.
—
Tribune News Service, cleveland, 20 Apr. 2021
Hill, with the Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness, said she’s been impressed with the process the city and other stakeholders have gone through so far to explore the tiny home concept.
—
Taylor Stevens, The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Four minutes later, Blue Devils sophomore defender Emma Paraskos sent a through pass toward the penalty box.
—
Nick Frazier, chicagotribune.com, 5 June 2021
Michael Barrios halved the lead for Colorado (3-2-1) on a breakaway five minutes into the second half, splitting two defenders to dash into the penalty area and tap home a through ball from Diego Rubio.
—
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2021
Cowell, who is from Ceres (Stanislaus County) and trained at a youth academy in Pleasanton, split the Dallas back line with a through ball from just across midfield that led Cristian Espinoza into an open space to directly challenge the goalkeeper.
—
San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Apr. 2021
With less than a minute in the first half, Somers laced a through ball from 40 yards out to Dhamo, who tucked the ball into the left corner for a 1-0 lead.
—
BostonGlobe.com, 17 Apr. 2021
The particular power of performance functions as a through line in Rich’s life.
—
Lynn Steger Strong, The New Republic, 13 May 2021
Ellsberg would become a through line to the Watergate scandal.
—
Ben Bradlee, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2021
Twelve wrestlers already are through to best-of-three finals Saturday based on past success including Kayla Miracle, one of several women who moved to Arizona from Iowa when Perry left the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.
—
Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2021
But a through passage on the highway — a rite of California tourism since the landmark road was built during the 1920s and 1930s — was impossible.
—
Steve Rubenstein, San Francisco Chronicle, 23 Apr. 2021
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'through.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Learn More about through
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
How "Thru" Turned Into "Through"
How "Thru" Turned Into "Through"
And Then to "Thru" Again
Dictionary Entries near through
See More Nearby EntriesStatistics for through
Last Updated
7 Jun 2021
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Through.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/through. Accessed 12 Jun. 2021.
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More Definitions for through
through
preposition
English Language Learners Definition of through
(Entry 1 of 3)
: into one side and out the other side of (something)
: from one side or end to another side or end of (something)
—used to describe movement within a place or an area of land, air, etc.
through
adverb
English Language Learners Definition of through (Entry 2 of 3)
: from one side or end to the other
: over the whole distance
: from the beginning to the end
through
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of through (Entry 3 of 3)
: having reached the end of an activity, job, etc.
: no longer in a romantic relationship
: no longer able to continue in a role, activity, etc.
See the full definition for through in the English Language Learners Dictionary
through
preposition
\ ˈthrü
\
\
Kids Definition of through
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: into at one side and out at the other side of
He drove a nail through the wood.
2
: from one side or end to another of
We rode through town.
3
: by way of
I got in through the window.
4
: among sense 1
There's a path through the trees.
5
: by means of
She succeeded through hard work.
6
: over the whole of
The rumor swept through school.
7
: during the whole of
The baby slept through the night.
8
: to and including
We're open Monday through Friday.
9
: into and out of
I'm through the worst of it.
through
adverbKids Definition of through (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: from one end or side to the other
The nail went through.
2
: from beginning to end
He read the book through in one evening.
3
: to completion
I plan to see the job through.
4
: in or to every part
Heat the sauce through.
through
adjectiveKids Definition of through (Entry 3 of 3)
1
: having reached an end
We're through with the job.
2
: allowing free or continuous passage : direct
a through road
3
: going from point of origin to destination without changes or transfers
through trains
4
: coming from and going to points outside a local zone
through traffic
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Time Traveler for through
The first known use of through was before the 12th century
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