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 of thoroughly

• systematically
• fully

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

Gently transfer each knot to the bowl of cinnamon sugar and turn to coat thoroughly, then transfer to a plate. —The Week Uk, TheWeek, 2 May 2026

Scrub thoroughly with a toilet brush and flush to rinse. —Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 1 May 2026

Concha questioned whether the vaccine was thoroughly tested before being pushed out to the public during the pandemic. —Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 1 May 2026

To eliminate carpet beetles, clean thoroughly, wash infested fabrics, and use boric acid to target larvae and eggs. —Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above