thorough

/'θʌrə/

Thân thiện

The accountant is thorough when checking the financial records.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Complete and careful; done with great attention to detail: Describes an action or process that is carried out in a comprehensive, meticulous, and exhaustive manner, leaving nothing overlooked.
   • Absolute; unqualified; utter: Describes something that is complete in nature or degree.

Usage

The adjective "thorough" is used to describe a person, their actions, or the quality of a process. It emphasizes completeness, diligence, and a lack of superficiality. It is often used with nouns like search, examination, research, understanding, cleaning, and preparation.

Examples

• Describing an action or process:
  • The police conducted a thorough investigation of the crime scene.
  • Before buying the house, they had a thorough inspection done.
  • She gave the room a thorough cleaning.
• Describing a person or their work:
  • He is a thorough professional who checks every detail.
  • Her report was thorough and well-documented.
• Describing a quality or state:
  • The meeting was a thorough waste of time.
  • He is a thorough gentleman.

Advanced Usage

• "Thorough" as an intensifier: In some contexts, "thorough" can be used for emphasis to mean "complete" or "total," often in a negative sense.
  • The project was a thorough disaster from start to finish.
• "Thorough" in compound adjectives: While the target word is "thorough," note that it forms part of compound adjectives like "thoroughgoing" (meaning very thorough and complete) and "thoroughbred" (a purebred animal, especially a horse).

Variants and Related Words

• Thoroughly (adverb): In a thorough manner; completely.
  • The area was thoroughly searched.
  • I thoroughly enjoyed the performance.
• Thoroughness (noun): The quality of being thorough.
  • The thoroughness of the audit was impressive.
• Thoroughgoing (adjective): Extremely thorough; complete and uncompromising.
  • He is a thoroughgoing traditionalist.

Synonyms

• Exhaustive: Including or considering all elements or aspects; fully comprehensive.
• Meticulous: Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.
• Comprehensive: Including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something.
• Painstaking: Done with or employing great care and thoroughness.
• Complete: Having all the necessary or appropriate parts; entire.

Antonyms

• Superficial: Existing or occurring at or on the surface; not thorough or deep.
• Cursory: Hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed.
• Partial: Existing only in part; incomplete.
• Careless: Not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.

Idioms and Phrases

• "A thorough nuisance": A complete and utter annoyance.
  • That constant noise is a thorough nuisance.
• "Thorough and through": (A variant of "through and through") Completely; in every aspect.
  • He is a professional thorough and through.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. performed comprehensively and completely
   • an exhaustive study
   • made a thorough search
   • thoroughgoing research
2. painstakingly careful and accurate
   • our accountant is thorough
   • thorough research

Từ đồng nghĩa

• exhaustive
• thoroughgoing