# go through

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-through
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 experience or endure a difficult period; also functions as a transitive verb meaning to examine a collection of items or a document in detail.

## Examples

- She is going through a hard time at work.
- We need to go through these files to find the missing contract before the meeting starts.
- The nation is going through a period of profound economic transformation that requires significant social adjustment.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He went through a great success." but "He had a great success." — 'go through' is almost exclusively used for negative or difficult experiences, not positive ones.

## Usage notes

- when meaning 'experience', the object is usually a negative or challenging event.
- Teaching tip: distinguish between the 'experience' sense (inseparable) and the 'examine' sense; both are common, but the 'experience' sense is more idiomatic for B1 learners.

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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.