thorough
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
doing something very carefully and making sure you do not miss any details.
painstaking and meticulous; ensuring that every detail is addressed or examined.
Simple“The doctor gave him a thorough examination to find the cause of his pain.”
In context“The researchers conducted a thorough review of the existing literature before proposing their new hypothesis to the board.”
PitfallThe police made a through investigation. The police made a thorough investigation.Do not confuse 'thorough' (careful) with 'through' (moving from one side to the other).
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
complete in every way; used to emphasize how total a quality is.
absolute or utter; used as an intensifier to indicate that a quality is complete.
Simple“The party was a thorough success and everyone enjoyed themselves.”
In context“The collapse of the negotiations was a thorough disappointment for the diplomats who had spent months preparing the draft.”
Antonyms
Usage thorough analysis · thorough discussion · thorough investigation
“The global ride-hailing giant said it had come to the "difficult decision" after a thorough review of its business.”
“It gets there most of the time, but it’s nowhere near good enough that I’d trust the results without a thorough double-check.”