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

• completely
• comprehensively
• detailedly
• exhaustively
• fully
• inside out
• minutely
• roundly
• sweepingly
• systematically
• through and through
• totally

Examples of thoroughly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That's already the case for the Newcomer Rental Subsidy program, state officials say, although its critics have remained skeptical of how thoroughly the program vets the immigration status of recipients. —Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press, 15 Apr. 2024

This transformation has created a truly irrational system, which takes important questions influenced by many complicated variables and boils them down to simple binary decisions to be made by people who may not be thoroughly informed. —The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

Once the back of the baffle and recessed housing are clean and thoroughly dry, pop the baffle back into place. —USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024

Inside, a stainless steel blade works to thoroughly and evenly blend foods. —Jack Byram, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024

Still, the novel is thoroughly enjoyable even without knowing its historical context. —Ilana Masad, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2024

The outcome will hinge on new testing, as state and local regulators have recently called on Berkeley to investigate the source of the methane and take steps to thoroughly inspect its pollution control system for leaks. —Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024

Make sure that it’s thoroughly rinsed to remove any food waste, especially juices from meats. —Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024

Alongside their statement is a video showing Zillion thoroughly enjoying looking for eggs over the Easter weekend surrounded by both of his parents and other loving family members. —Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above