thoroughly

thoroughly — adverb

1. to such a great degree that nothing more could be added; used to stress that a q

1.adverbB1
Definition

to such a great degree that nothing more could be added; used to stress that a quality, feeling, or experience is present as strongly as possible.

Example

Jin thoroughly enjoyed the film his sister had recommended.

thoroughly + verb of enjoyment (enjoyed)

The hotel staff were thoroughly professional and helpful throughout our stay.

thoroughly + adjective (professional)

Common collocations
  • thoroughly enjoyed
  • thoroughly impressed
  • thoroughly professional
  • thoroughly modern
  • thoroughly unpleasant
  • thoroughly exhausted
  • thoroughly disappointed
  • thoroughly convincing
Synonyms
  • completely

    broader — refers to all parts being included, not necessarily with depth

  • totally

    more informal; interchangeable in most intensifier contexts

  • utterly

    stronger; usually used with negative or extreme qualities (utterly ridiculous)

  • absolutely

    common intensifier; can modify adjectives but less natural with verbs of emotion

Antonyms
  • slightly

    marks a small degree, the opposite of the full intensity

  • partially

    indicates something is true only to some extent

Grammar Patterns

thoroughly + adjective (thoroughly modern)

thoroughly + past participle (thoroughly impressed)

thoroughly + verb of emotion (thoroughly enjoyed)

Usage Note

Frequently appears with verbs that express enjoyment (enjoy, love, appreciate), approval (impress, recommend, approve), or strong emotional states (disappoint, amaze, embarrass, shock). Less natural with concrete action verbs — you would check the tyres thoroughly (sense 2) rather than thoroughly check the tyres when the focus is on manner rather than degree.

Common Mistakes

I thoroughly ate the whole pizza.
I ate the whole pizza.
'thoroughly' is not used to mean 'completely finish eating something'; it expresses depth or care, not simple completion.
He studied thoroughly the report.
He studied the report thoroughly.
when 'thoroughly' follows a transitive verb + object, it must go after the object, not between the verb and object.

2. with very close attention to every part or step, so that nothing is missed, over

2.adverbB1
Definition

with very close attention to every part or step, so that nothing is missed, overlooked, or left unfinished.

Example

Before the road trip, the mechanic thoroughly checked the brakes and tyres.

thoroughly + verb of inspection (checked)

Trang cleaned the entire apartment thoroughly before the landlord's visit.

verb + object + thoroughly (cleaned … thoroughly) — post-verbal position

Common collocations
  • thoroughly checked
  • thoroughly examined
  • thoroughly cleaned
  • thoroughly investigated
  • thoroughly prepared
  • thoroughly researched
  • thoroughly tested
  • thoroughly reviewed
Synonyms
  • carefully

    broader — applies to any action done with caution; does not necessarily imply completeness

  • meticulously

    more formal; stresses extreme attention to small details

  • exhaustively

    even stronger — implies every possible aspect has been covered

  • comprehensively

    focuses on covering all parts rather than depth of each part

Antonyms
  • carelessly

    suggests skipping steps or not paying attention

  • superficially

    indicates only the surface or most obvious parts were covered

Grammar Patterns

thoroughly + verb of examination (thoroughly checked)

verb + object + thoroughly (checked the car thoroughly)

passive + thoroughly + past participle (was thoroughly cleaned)

Usage Note

Typically modifies verbs that imply systematic or methodical action: examine, check, investigate, clean, review, search, prepare, research, test. When the verb has a direct object, thoroughly can go before the verb (thoroughly checked the brakes) or after the object (checked the brakes thoroughly); the post-object position is more neutral in spoken English.

Common Mistakes

She thoroughly the house cleaned.
She cleaned the house thoroughly.
'thoroughly' is an adverb, not a verb; it must modify a verb, not replace it.
I thoroughly forgot your name.
I completely forgot your name.
'thoroughly' is not used with verbs of forgetting or simple mental absence; use 'completely' or 'totally' instead.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

All four describe doing something with attention, but they differ in emphasis. Carefully is the broadest — it focuses on avoiding mistakes and applies to anything from driving to writing (He drove carefully on the icy road). Meticulously is more intense, stressing attention to tiny details, and is often used in crafts or research (The tailor meticulously stitched each seam by hand). Exhaustively goes further, suggesting every possible avenue has been pursued — common in investigations or academic work (The study exhaustively reviewed 200 clinical trials). Comprehensively emphasises covering all parts or areas rather than depth per part, making it natural for summaries or reports (The guide provides a comprehensive overview of the city's history). Choose carefully for general caution, meticulously for detail obsession, exhaustively for no-stone-unturned thoroughness, and comprehensively for full-scope coverage.

carefully ↗meticulously ↗exhaustivelycomprehensively

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very thoroughly
  • quite thoroughly
  • fairly thoroughly
  • more thoroughly

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Thoroughly comes from thorough (which itself is an adverbial use of the Old English word þurh, meaning 'through') plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly. The original sense was physical — going 'through and through' an object, like a nail driven through a board. Over time the meaning shifted from physical penetration to mental or abstract completeness: first 'from beginning to end' (examining something thoroughly), then 'to the fullest degree' (thoroughly enjoying something).