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

The service Despite its intimate size, the service at Hotel 28 Myeongdong is thoroughly warm and attentive. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026

The new details raised questions about how thoroughly FlyDubai vets potential employees, and how the co-pilot's presence on a flight filled with Israeli passengers got past Israel's strict security protocols. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

The new details raised questions about how thoroughly FlyDubai vets potential employees, and how the copilot’s presence on a flight filled with Israeli passengers got past Israel’s strict security protocols. — Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Potential homes are thoroughly vetted and inspected prior to adoption. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above