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

Notice that all these recipes—the Veronese, the Venetian, the Mantuan, and so forth—are thoroughly grounded in the what and the where. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024

But they were thoroughly dominated Sunday afternoon. —Daniel Popper, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024

Rinse the case thoroughly under cold water and dry it with non-abrasive cloth. —Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 15 Dec. 2024

The Dutch oven is made with enameled stoneware that evenly distributes heat to cook food thoroughly, all while blocking moisture absorption to prevent cracking or staining. —Nicol Natale, People.com, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above