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
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 Web
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Meester and Brody first worked together on the 2011 film The Oranges, but met before that through a mutual colleague.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
One issue is that hypnosis has long been viewed as a form of entertainment, a stage show with a hypnotist and an audience, which can give viewers a sense that hypnosis is something done to you rather than a process that a person is led through.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Emery jumped up and down when Pau Torres passed into the middle of nowhere and when Bailey’s attempt of a through ball was easily cut out.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for through
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Preposition
Both materials maintained high efficiency through six reuse cycles, showing excellent stability and minimal loss of performance.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
Meester and Brody first worked together on the 2011 film The Oranges, but met before that through a mutual colleague.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Add 1 cup cooked rice when the soup is almost finished cooking; cook for 1 minute to heat through.
—Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
One issue is that hypnosis has long been viewed as a form of entertainment, a stage show with a hypnotist and an audience, which can give viewers a sense that hypnosis is something done to you rather than a process that a person is led through.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Addressed issues where attempting a lobbed through pass would sometimes result in a through ground pass instead.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Emery jumped up and down when Pau Torres passed into the middle of nowhere and when Bailey’s attempt of a through ball was easily cut out.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 25 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for through
Cite this Entry
“Through.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/through. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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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