# go through sth

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-through-sth
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation; you can also use this when you check something carefully.

For teachers: to undergo a difficult period or experience; alternatively, to examine or search through a collection of items or a document systematically.

## Examples

- She is going through a hard time at work.
- We need to go through the contract one more time to make sure there are no mistakes.
- The nation is going through a period of profound economic transformation that requires citizens to adapt to new digital realities.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He went the documents through." but "He went through the documents." — this phrasal verb is inseparable; the object must follow the particle 'through'.

## Usage notes

- when meaning 'experience', the object is usually a negative event like a divorce, crisis, or surgery.
- Teaching tip: help students distinguish between the physical sense (searching a bag) and the metaphorical sense (experiencing a hardship) by using different objects in drill exercises.

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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.