thoroughly

thoroughly — adverb

1. to such a great degree that nothing more could be added; used to stress that a q

1.副詞B1
釋義

to such a great degree that nothing more could be added; used to stress that a quality, feeling, or experience is present as strongly as possible.

例句

Jin thoroughly enjoyed the film his sister had recommended.

thoroughly + verb of enjoyment (enjoyed)

The hotel staff were thoroughly professional and helpful throughout our stay.

thoroughly + adjective (professional)

同義詞
  • completely

    broader — refers to all parts being included, not necessarily with depth

  • totally

    more informal; interchangeable in most intensifier contexts

  • utterly

    stronger; usually used with negative or extreme qualities (utterly ridiculous)

  • absolutely

    common intensifier; can modify adjectives but less natural with verbs of emotion

反義詞
  • slightly

    marks a small degree, the opposite of the full intensity

  • partially

    indicates something is true only to some extent

文法句型

thoroughly + adjective (thoroughly modern)

thoroughly + past participle (thoroughly impressed)

thoroughly + verb of emotion (thoroughly enjoyed)

用法筆記

Frequently appears with verbs that express enjoyment (enjoy, love, appreciate), approval (impress, recommend, approve), or strong emotional states (disappoint, amaze, embarrass, shock). Less natural with concrete action verbs — you would check the tyres thoroughly (sense 2) rather than thoroughly check the tyres when the focus is on manner rather than degree.

常見錯誤

❌I thoroughly ate the whole pizza.
✅I ate the whole pizza.
💡'thoroughly' is not used to mean 'completely finish eating something'; it expresses depth or care, not simple completion.
❌He studied thoroughly the report.
✅He studied the report thoroughly.
💡when 'thoroughly' follows a transitive verb + object, it must go after the object, not between the verb and object.

2. with very close attention to every part or step, so that nothing is missed, over

2.副詞B1
釋義

with very close attention to every part or step, so that nothing is missed, overlooked, or left unfinished.

例句

Before the road trip, the mechanic thoroughly checked the brakes and tyres.

thoroughly + verb of inspection (checked)

Trang cleaned the entire apartment thoroughly before the landlord's visit.

verb + object + thoroughly (cleaned … thoroughly) — post-verbal position

同義詞
  • carefully

    broader — applies to any action done with caution; does not necessarily imply completeness

  • meticulously

    more formal; stresses extreme attention to small details

  • exhaustively

    even stronger — implies every possible aspect has been covered

  • comprehensively

    focuses on covering all parts rather than depth of each part

反義詞
  • carelessly

    suggests skipping steps or not paying attention

  • superficially

    indicates only the surface or most obvious parts were covered

文法句型

thoroughly + verb of examination (thoroughly checked)

verb + object + thoroughly (checked the car thoroughly)

passive + thoroughly + past participle (was thoroughly cleaned)

用法筆記

Typically modifies verbs that imply systematic or methodical action: examine, check, investigate, clean, review, search, prepare, research, test. When the verb has a direct object, thoroughly can go before the verb (thoroughly checked the brakes) or after the object (checked the brakes thoroughly); the post-object position is more neutral in spoken English.

常見錯誤

❌She thoroughly the house cleaned.
✅She cleaned the house thoroughly.
💡'thoroughly' is an adverb, not a verb; it must modify a verb, not replace it.
❌I thoroughly forgot your name.
✅I completely forgot your name.
💡'thoroughly' is not used with verbs of forgetting or simple mental absence; use 'completely' or 'totally' instead.