How to pronounce thoroughly
Say it like THUR-roh-lee. Thoroughly has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (THUR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce thoroughly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- THUR
- roh
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Thoroughly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- THURSay this part loudest and longest.
- rohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of thoroughly
American and British speakers say thoroughly in essentially the same way: /ˈθɜroʊli/ in the US and /ˈθʌrəli/ in the UK.
British respelling: THUHR-uh-lee.
What does thoroughly mean?
- in an exhaustive manner“we searched the files thoroughly”
- completely and absolutely (good is sometimes used informally for thoroughly)“he was soundly defeated”“we beat him good”
Where does thoroughly come from?
From thorough + -ly.
Questions about saying thoroughly
How do you pronounce thoroughly?
Say THUR-roh-lee. The American pronunciation is /ˈθɜroʊli/. In British English it is /ˈθʌrəli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in thoroughly?
Thoroughly has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (THUR). Broken into parts: THUR · roh · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say thoroughly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈθɜroʊli/ and the British form is /ˈθʌrəli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.