# drill down through

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drill-down-through
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to look at information in a very detailed way to find the cause of a problem or a specific fact.

For teachers: to perform a systematic, granular analysis of data or hierarchical information to identify underlying causes or specific details.

## Examples

- We need to drill down through these sales figures to find the problem.
- The auditor spent all afternoon drilling down through the expense reports to locate the missing funds.
- By drilling down through layers of historical demographic data, the researchers identified a significant shift in urban migration patterns that previous studies had overlooked.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We must drill down through of the data." but "We must drill down through the data." — 'through' is a preposition here and does not require an extra 'of' before the object.

## Usage notes

- often used in business or technical contexts when discussing data, reports, or complex problems.
- Teaching tip: this is an extension of the phrasal verb 'drill down'; the addition of 'through' emphasizes moving through multiple layers of information or obstacles.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.