THOROUGHLY Synonyms: 122 Similar and Opposite Words

thoroughly

adverb

ˈthər-(ˌ)ō-lē

Definition of thoroughly

as in systematically

with attention to all aspects or details they researched the issue thoroughly before deciding how to vote

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fully

to a full extent or degree I am thoroughly satisfied with her explanation of the events of that evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of thoroughly Remove stains with a baking soda paste, rinse thoroughly, and dry with a soft cloth. — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026 Then, immediately invert onto a second cooling rack to turn it right side up to cool thoroughly. — Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 3 Aug. 2026 If hunting, trapping or skinning animals, use gloves when handling animals and cook game meat thoroughly before eating, according to the CDC. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 But if your goal is to thoroughly cleanse your skin, lukewarm water is usually the better choice. — Sherri Gordon, HEALTH, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thoroughly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thoroughly

Adverb

That allows hackers to systematically guess those phrases and then drain crypto wallets.

— Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Trump has systematically starved Social Security of funds for customer service, a cynical effort to make this all-important program seem more burdensome to the seniors who rely on it.

— Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of systematically

Adverb

Trade data show China has fully transitioned from providing mostly low cost manufacturing to supplying vital machinery and components for advanced manufacturing.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026
In Hrubec’s lab, the malformations took a different form — neural tube defects similar to spina bifida in humans, in which parts of the spinal column fail to close, or anencephaly, where the skull and brain never fully develop.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of fully

Adverb

Solar eclipse watchers have for centuries vividly described an eerie phenomenon known as shadow bands that appears just before and after totality — the period when the moon completely blocks the sun’s light and the sky goes dark.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
After baking, make sure your bread is cooled completely on a wire rack.

— Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of completely

Adverb

But none of the more precise terms quite roll off the tongue.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
That’s true even as there’s been a steady clip of cyberattacks on the United States and other countries, some of them quite alarming, and even as a new, more powerful AI model is released by an American or Chinese lab seemingly every week.

— Jen Easterly, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of quite

Adverb

Representations of pregnant bodies were utterly transformed in the thirty years following Moore’s famous cover.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
His factory boss, aware of Shigejiro’s situation at home, applauded his utterly straightforward personality and indeed even raised his salary.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of utterly

Adverb

Rigney and Gere play this back-and-forth perfectly, the instantly emerging tension between them barely concealed behind tight smiles.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
The 13-inch Apple iPad Air with the M3 chip won our Editors' Choice award specifically for students and creators, and PCMag expert Eric Zeman praised it for perfectly balancing performance and price in our review.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of perfectly

Browse Nearby Words

thoroughgoing

thoroughly

thoroughness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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“Thoroughly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thoroughly. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of thoroughly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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