Synonyms
Adjective
- absolute
- all-out
- arrant
- blank
- blooming [chiefly British]
- bodacious [Southern & Midland]
- categorical
- categoric
- clean
- complete
- consummate
- crashing
- damn
- damned
- dead
- deadly
- definite
- downright
- dreadful
- fair
- flat
- flat-out
- out-and-out
- outright
- perfect
- plumb
- profound
- pure
- rank
- regular
- sheer
- simple
- stark
- stone
- straight-out
- thoroughgoing
- total
- unadulterated
- unalloyed
- unconditional
- unmitigated
- unqualified
- utter
- very
Examples of thorough in a Sentence
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2004
Bruce tells me to squat down and Koani sidles up, ears flattened, tail tucked away, and gives my face a thorough licking.
—Nicholas Evans, Daily Telegraph, 26 Sept. 1998
The job was uncharacteristically thorough for a Russian contract killing—three different types of bullets riddled Mikho's body.
—New Republic, 15 Dec. 1997
a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations
The investigator will have to be thorough.
Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2024
Gallant's office also provided a summary of the call, noting that Gallant expressed his sorrow over the attack and assured Austin that a thorough investigation was being conducted.
—NBC News, 5 Apr. 2024
Consulting healthcare professionals and conducting thorough research can assist individuals in making informed choices and understanding the potential interactions or contraindications associated with CBD oil.
—Cbd Scout, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Screening process: Once potential candidates are identified, the production team conducts a thorough screening process to assess the suitability of the bar for the show.
—The Arizona Republic, 2 Apr. 2024
The Los Angeles County medical examiner has ruled a 16-year-old girl’s death from blunt force head trauma an accident, raising questions from her family about how thorough and conclusive officials have been with the case.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Try mixing the blueberries with a splash of lemon juice first, then tossing into flour for a thorough coating.
—Pam Lolley, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2024
After a thorough birding session, those in search of further shorebird diversity can make their way to the sprawling Lake Bastrop, with a dedicated North Shore Park and South Shore Park in place to aid in the birding process.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
Increasingly, the early years of baseball became his main area of research and led to his 2011 book, Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game, an exceptionally thorough work, written in a breezy style and filled with innumerably delightful and surprising facts.
—Frederic J. Frommer, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thorough.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Preposition, Adjective, and Adverb
Middle English thorow, from Old English thurh, thuruh, preposition & adverb
Adjective
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Preposition
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing thorough
Dictionary Entries Near thorough
Cite this Entry
“Thorough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorough. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
thorough
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on thorough
Nglish: Translation of thorough for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of thorough for Arabic Speakers
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