# show through

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/show-through
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to be visible through a surface or a layer. You use this when something underneath can be seen because the top layer is thin or clear.

For teachers: To be visible through a covering, surface, or medium. The verb is typically intransitive, though 'through' often functions as a preposition introducing the barrier.

## Examples

- The sun is starting to show through the clouds.
- She wore a dark shirt so her undershirt wouldn't show through the thin fabric.
- Despite the diplomat's polished exterior, his underlying frustration began to show through as the negotiations reached their tenth hour without a resolution.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The light shows through of the paper." but "The light shows through the paper." — the preposition 'of' is not used after 'through' in this phrasal verb construction.

## Usage notes

- Usually describes light, patterns, or emotions appearing through a physical or metaphorical barrier.
- Teaching tip: Focus on the literal meaning (light through a curtain) before moving to the metaphorical meaning (personality showing through behavior).

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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.