How to Pronounce Thorough

To pronounce "thorough", say THOR-ough — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈθɝoʊ/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

thorough

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

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Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

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2

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈθɝoʊ/

🇺🇸 IPA (US)

/θˈʌɹɐ/

🇬🇧 IPA (UK)

💡 Tip for remembering “thorough”

Break "thorough" into 2 beats and lean on "THOR" — that's the stressed one. It rhymes with furrow and burrow, if that helps it stick.

Sounds exactly like: thoro — easy to mix up when writing.

What does thorough mean?

noun

  1. A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.

adjective

  1. Painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail.

    “He is the most thorough worker I have ever seen.”

  2. Utter; complete; absolute.

preposition

  1. Through.

Synonyms

comprehensiverigorousscrupulousdownrightoutrightunmitigated

Hear “thorough” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Words that rhyme with thorough

Practicing rhymes trains the same ending sounds.

furrowburrowburrosaguarochlorochloro-sorghothorosporosporo-boro-thorow

Related words

exhaustivecarefulthoroughgoingcompletepainstakingscrupulousconscientiousmeticulous

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "thorough"?▾

"Thorough" has 2 syllables: thor · ough.

What is the IPA transcription of "thorough"?▾

The IPA transcription of "thorough" is /ˈθɝoʊ/.

What does "thorough" mean?▾

Thorough: A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.

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