Thoroughdone or considered in a very complete, detailed way is an adjective with a few related but distinctclearly different from one another uses. It can mean fully complete, very careful, or, in informal speech, used as an intensifiera word that increases the strength of another expression in expressions like “a thorough nuisance.”
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈθɝoʊ/
Easy pronunciation: THUR-oh (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Use this for the adjective meaning complete, comprehensive, and not superficial.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Thorough Meaning
done fully and carefully, with nothing left out
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: performed comprehensively and completely; not superficial or partial
Example: She gave the report a thorough review before sending it.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- exhaustive — A strong match for the sense of being complete and covering everything.
- thoroughgoing — Can fit this sense, though it is less common in everyday use.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Thorough
Meaning 2
very careful and detailed
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: painstakingly careful and accurate
Example: Our accountant is thorough and catches small mistakes.
Meaning 3
used for emphasis, often in a negative way
Part of speech: adjective
Definition: without qualification; used informally as an intensifier
Example: The delay was a thorough nuisance.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- arrant — A strong informal intensifier, often used negatively.
- consummate — Can intensify a noun or insult, though it is more formal.
- double-dyed — Used as an emphatic, usually negative intensifier.
- gross — Works as an intensifier in some fixed or emphatic uses.
- perfect — Used informally as an intensifier, as in “a perfect fool.”
- pure — Can work as an intensifier in informal speech.
- staring — An older intensifying use, especially in fixed phrases.
- stark — Used as an intensifier in phrases like “stark mad.”
- thoroughgoing — May be used for strong emphasis, but it more often means complete or consistent.
- unadulterated — Can be used for strong emphasis, especially in negative expressions.
- utter — A common intensifier meaning complete or total.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Thorough Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- exhaustive
- thoroughgoing
used informally as an intensifier
- arrant
- consummate
- double-dyed
- gross
- perfect
- pure
- staring
- stark
- thoroughgoing
- unadulterated
- utter
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse thorough with through, which is a different word.
- Do not mix up the carefulness sense of thorough with the intensifier use in phrases like “a thorough nuisance.”
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does thorough mean?
Thorough usually means done completely and carefully, with attention to every part. It can also mean very careful and accurate, and in informal speech it can be used as an intensifier.
What is a simple synonym for thorough?
A good simple synonym in the main sense is exhaustive. For the careful-and-detailed sense, careful is close, though not an exact dictionary synonym.
Is thorough the same as complete?
Sometimes they overlap, but thorough usually adds the idea of careful attention to detail, not just being finished.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-22. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.