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
Diane AckermanWe 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
Craig M. CarverExamples 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 two major goals of the Artemis II flight are to thoroughly test the Orion moonship and to work through the procedures and techniques needed to safely guide future crews to the moon.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Cover the stain with your DIY cleaning solution, rinse thoroughly, then blot to dry.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2026
The duo tried to take on his former master, Darth Sidious (now Emperor Palpatine), only to get thoroughly spanked by Sheev, who killed Savage.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Some commenters were more entertained by how thoroughly the broadcast abandoned the game.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thoroughly
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William Harwood, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
Cover the stain with your DIY cleaning solution, rinse thoroughly, then blot to dry.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Apr. 2026
The duo tried to take on his former master, Darth Sidious (now Emperor Palpatine), only to get thoroughly spanked by Sheev, who killed Savage.
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Some commenters were more entertained by how thoroughly the broadcast abandoned the game.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thoroughly
Cite this Entry
“Thoroughly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoroughly. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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