What does "thorough" mean?
A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.
Thorough
/ˈθʌɹə/ adj, name, noun, prep
adj, name, noun, prep ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.
- Grammar: thorough is listed as adj, name, noun, prep.
- Nearest alternatives: complete, exhaustive, absolute, accurate understanding.
- Useful contrasts: cursory, superficial, surface-level.
- Usage evidence: The theory is based on thorough research.
How to use "thorough"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thorough" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thorough" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thorough" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thorough" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thorough" is acting as adj, name, noun, prep in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "complete" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thorough", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water. UK, dialectal
"The Ignorance and Idleness of the Plowman, who either goes so shallow, or plows his Thoroughs so wide, or misses Part of the Ground."
Adjective
- 1 Painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail.
"The Prime Minister announced a thorough investigation into the death of a father-of-two in police custody."
- 2 Utter; complete; absolute.
"Dr. Oldfield once said to me, 'You talk to me quite all right, but why is it that you never open your lips at a committee meeting? You are a drone.' I appreciated the banter. The bees are ever busy, the drone is a thorough idler."
Adjective
- 1 painstakingly careful and accurate wordnet
- 2 performed comprehensively and completely; not superficial or partial wordnet
- 3 without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers wordnet
Preposition
- 1 Through. archaic
"Ye might haue ſeene the frothy billowes fry Vnder the ſhip, as thorough them ſhe went […]"
Proper Noun
- 1 A scheme devised in 17th-century England by Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford to establish absolute monarchy in England, involving the appointment of Arminian clergy. historical
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The theory is based on thorough research."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thorough"?
Common synonyms include: complete, exhaustive, absolute, accurate understanding, across-the-board, admirable effort.
How do you use "thorough" in a sentence?
The theory is based on thorough research.
How do you pronounce "thorough"?
Pronounced /ˈθʌɹə/.
Etymology
From Middle English thoruȝ, þoruȝ, from Old English þuruh, a byform of Old English þurh, whence comes English through. The adjective derives from the preposition and adverb. The word developed a syllabic form in cases where the word was fully stressed: when it was used as an adverb, adjective, or noun, and less commonly when used as a preposition.