The difference between Exhaustive and Thorough

When used as adjectives, exhaustive means including every possible element, whereas thorough means painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail.


Thorough is also noun with the meaning: a furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.

Thorough is also preposition with the meaning: through.

check bellow for the other definitions of Exhaustive and Thorough

  1. Exhaustive as an adjective:

    Including every possible element.

    Examples:

    "We made an exhaustive list."

  2. Exhaustive as an adjective:

    Fully comprehensive.

  3. Exhaustive as an adjective:

    Causing exhaustion; very tiring.

  1. Thorough as an adjective:

    Painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail.

    Examples:

    "The Prime Minister announced a thorough investigation into the death of a father of two in police custody."

    "He is the most thorough worker I have ever seen."

    "The infested house needs a thorough cleansing before it will be inhabitable."

  2. Thorough as an adjective:

    Utter; complete; absolute.

    Examples:

    "It is a thorough pleasure to see him beg for mercy."

  1. Thorough as a preposition (obsolete):

    Through.

  1. Thorough as a noun (UK, dialect):

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

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Halliwell"