thor·ough
ˈthər-(ˌ)ō 
sometimes ˈthȯr-;
ˈthə-(ˌ)rō
1
: carried through to completion : exhaustive
a thorough search
2
a
: marked by full detail
a thorough description
b
: careful about detail : painstaking
a thorough scholar
c
: complete in all respects
thorough pleasure
d
: having full mastery (as of an art)
a thorough musician
thoroughness
noun
archaic
: through
Examples of thorough in a Sentence
Adjective
… one realized that it was the restaurant's thorough and even comic Frenchness that had made it so entirely New York.
—
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.
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 13 July 2025
Our favorable outlook is based on a thorough assessment of PG's present valuation versus its recent operational results and its historical and current financial stability.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
While the Texas' Department of State Health Services does do a thorough process of checking campsites and other buildings for flood damage using FEMA guidelines, Van Zandt, however, said that those inspections aren't enough given the flooding dangers that these camps are in.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 11 July 2025
Just be sure to give your tomatoes a thorough washing with soap and water before eating.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorough
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 13 July 2025
Our favorable outlook is based on a thorough assessment of PG's present valuation versus its recent operational results and its historical and current financial stability.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
While the Texas' Department of State Health Services does do a thorough process of checking campsites and other buildings for flood damage using FEMA guidelines, Van Zandt, however, said that those inspections aren't enough given the flooding dangers that these camps are in.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 11 July 2025
Just be sure to give your tomatoes a thorough washing with soap and water before eating.
—Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thorough
Cite this Entry
“Thorough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thorough. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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