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

they researched the issue thoroughly before deciding how to vote

I am thoroughly satisfied with her explanation of the events of that evening

Recent Examples on the Web

To excel in remote interviews: Test your technology thoroughly before the interview to avoid technical difficulties Create a professional environment with proper lighting, an appropriate background, and minimal distractions. —Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025

Grab a brush and thoroughly scrub each part of the feeder. —Abby Fribush, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025

Brandishing their highest seeding in the league tournament since their debut in 2015, the No. 2 seed Terps lived up to the weight of lofty expectations and thoroughly dumped No. 7 seed Illinois, 88-65, in a quarterfinal Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 15 Mar. 2025

Regardless of the method used for filing, taxpayers should thoroughly review their returns for any errors before submission. —Ken Milani and Rick Klee, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above