Thoroughly means to do something in a complete and careful way, leaving no part unchecked. It implies meticulous attention to detail and thoroughness in method or examination. Used as an adverb, it modifies verbs to indicate comprehensive completion or full extent of a task or analysis.
"She searched the room thoroughly for any sign of the missing key."
"The report was thoroughly reviewed before submission."
"They investigated thoroughly, considering every possible source of error."
"If you study thoroughly, you’ll master the material more quickly."
Thoroughly originates from the adjective thorough, which itself derives from the Old English word thyrlian, related to the Proto-Germanic thuri‑ meaning “to hole or pierce” and later evolving in Middle English to describe something with holes or complete in coverage. By the 15th century, thorough extended to mean complete, exhaustive, and accurate, especially in the sense of “in every possible aspect.” The modern adverbial form -ly appeared as standard English grammar coalesced, with usage becoming common in the 17th–18th centuries as writers sought to emphasize full extent or meticulous completeness. Over time, thoroughly has maintained the sense of comprehensive attention to detail, applicable to processes, investigations, revisions, and analyses, and is now a staple in academic, professional, and everyday language when stressing exhaustive thoroughness.
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Words that rhyme with "Thoroughly"
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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/ˈθɜːr(oʊ)li/ in US and /ˈθɜːrəli/ in UK, with primary stress on the first syllable. Start with a dark, retroflex /θ/ friction sound, then an unstressed mid vowel /ɜː/ or /ɜːr/ in rhotic accents, followed by an open schwa-like /ə/ before the final /li/. Keep the final syllable light and crisp. Audio references: try Cambridge’s or Forvo’s native speaker samples to hear the subtle /r/ coloring in American speech.
Common errors include merging /θɜːr/ into a simple /tʃ/ or /th/ blend, producing either /ˈtɜːrəli/ or /ˈθuːrəli/; dropping the second syllable vowel as /li/; and misplacing stress on the second syllable. To correct: articulate the initial /θ/ with tongue-tip friction, hold /ɜː/ or /ɜːr/ as a stressed central-vowel, insert a clear /ə/ before the final /li/ so the ending lands as /li/ rather than /liː/ or /lɪ/. Practice listening and mimicking native samples from Pronounce or YouGlish.
In US English, /ˈθɜːroʊli/ with rhotic /r/ coloring becomes /ˈθɜːroʊli/ or /ˈθɜːrəli/. UK English tends to a non-rhotic /ˈθɜːrəli/ or /ˈθɜːrli/, with a shorter /oʊ/ diphthong reduced to /ə/ in some dialects. Australian English often has a broader /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ in the first vowel and a more relaxed /li/ ending, sometimes with less vowel reduction. Focus on the initial /θ/ fricative and the /ɜː/ vowel; the /r/ becomes variably rhotic depending on accent. Listen to native samples in Forvo or YouGlish for each variant.
The difficulty lies in maintaining a strong initial /θ/ fricative while transitioning to the mid-central /ɜː/ (or /ɜːr/), then quickly moving to a reduced /ə/ before the final /li/. The sequence requires precise tongue placement and breath control to avoid spitting or slurring the middle vowel. Mastery comes from practicing the transition between the stressed first syllable and the reduced second syllable, and from matching the subtle rhotic or non-rhotic qualities of your target accent.
A distinctive feature is the two-stage vowel movement in the first syllable: /θ/ + /ɜː/ (or /ɜːr/) creates a rounded center sound, followed by a quick glide into /oʊ/ or a reduced /ə/ before the final /li/. In many fast talks, the /ɜː/ can reduce toward /ə/, but the final /li/ must remain clearly light. Focus on keeping the /θ/ voiceless fricative distinct from the following vowel, even when speed increases.
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