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through

English · Thesaurus

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through¹

  • /θɹuː/ UK
  • /θɹʉw/ British, Southern, Standard
  • /θɹu/ Canada, US
  • /θɹʉː/ Australia, New Zealand
  • /θɾʉ/ Scotland
  • /θɻʉ/ Northern Ireland
  • /θɾuː/ Wales

Sounds like threw (not in Wales) · Rhymes with -uː

Where it comes from

From Middle English thurgh, thrugh, thruch, thruh, metathetic variants of thurgh, thurh, from Old English þurh, from Proto-Germanic *þurhw (“through”), from Proto-Indo-European *tr̥h₂kʷe, suffixed zero-grade from *terh₂- (“to pass through”) + *-kʷe (“and”).

Cognates

Cognate with North Frisian döör (“through”), Saterland Frisian truch (“through”), West Frisian troch (“through”), Dutch door (“through”), German durch (“through”), Luxembourgish duerch (“through”), West Flemish deur (“through”), Yiddish דורך (durkh, “through”), Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌷 (þairh, “through”), Latin trans (“across, over, through”), Albanian tërthor (“through, around”), Welsh tra (“through”). See also thorough.

preposition thru · thro' · thorough · thoo · thorow · throughe

  1. So as to enter (something), pass within or across, and then leave. I drove through Lausanne on my way from Geneva to Zurich.
  2. So as to progress within (something) or towards the end or limit of (something). The virus broke out in the capital city and is now spreading quickly through the country.
  3. From one side of (an opening) to the other. Go straight ahead and through that door.
  4. To or beyond the other side of (an obstacle); past. I hope to start in the autumn, but I've got to get through the interview first.
  5. in phrases such as 'go through' Indicating that something has been consumed or used up. Have you got through all those chocolates already?!
  6. Along the course of; used in expressions of progress towards the end of something. We're halfway through the year.
  7. Throughout the duration of. He worked through the night.
  8. By way of (a physical passage). The hot water enters through this pipe.
  9. By way of (an intermediary, agent, medium, etc.). I met her through a friend of mine.
  10. Throughout or across the extent of. There are errors all through this report.
  11. Amidst or surrounded by (while moving). We slogged through the mud for hours before turning back and giving up.
  12. Canada, US To (or up to) and including, with all intermediate values; to... inclusive; until the end of. from 1945 through 1991;  the numbers 1 through 9;  your membership is active through March 15, 2013
  13. By means of. This team believes in winning through intimidation.
  14. In consequence of; as a result of. The project failed through lack of investment.

adjective thru · thro' · thorough · thoo · thorow · throughe

  1. not comparable Passing from one side of something to the other. Interstate highways form a nationwide system of through roads.
  2. US, not comparable Finished; complete. They were through with laying the subroof by noon.
  3. not comparable Along the course of a task etc.; used in expressions of progress towards the end. It's a big job but we're halfway through.
  4. not comparable Without a future; done for. After being implicated in the scandal, he was through as an executive in financial services.
  5. not comparable No longer interested; wearied or turned off by experience. She was through with him.
  6. not comparable Proceeding from origin to destination without the need to change transport vehicle. The through flight through Memphis was the fastest.
  7. not comparable Connected (to someone) by telephone. You're through to the doctor now.
  8. not comparable In possession of the ball beyond the last line of defence but not necessarily the goalkeeper; through on goal. With the Swifts calling for offside the striker was through and only a great save from McIlravey prevented the opener.
  9. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, not comparable, rare, in Canada (usually followed by "to") Able to progress (to the next stage or a higher level) following success in an exam, sports match, etc. Manchester United are through to the FA Cup Final for the thirteenth time.

adverb thru · thro' · thorough · thoo · thorow · throughe

  1. not comparable By way of the interior. The arrow went straight through.
  2. not comparable By way of an opening. I opened the window and climbed through.
  3. not comparable So as to overcome an obstacle and pass beyond it; past. The road is blocked by an overturned truck, and cars can't pass through.
  4. not comparable So as to pass a stage in a process and proceed to the next stage or level. The bill will be tabled tomorrow, but I doubt that it will be voted through.
  5. not comparable From beginning to end, or from the present position to the end. Others went to bed for the night; he worked straight through.
  6. not comparable Throughout something; all the way across or into something. Leave the yarn in the dye overnight so the color soaks through.
  7. not comparable So as to connect with or reach. I had difficulty reaching the commander, but eventually my call was routed through.

through²

  • /θɹʌf/
  • /θɹuː/

Rhymes with -ʌf, -uː

Where it comes from

From Middle English thrugh, þrouȝ, throgh, from Old English þrūh (“trough, conduit, pipe; box, chest; coffin, tomb”), from Proto-Germanic *þrūhs (“hollowed-out wood”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₃u- (“to rub, turn, drill, bore”). Not directly related with German Truhe (“chest”), which belongs to the root of English trough. However, these two Germanic roots seem to have influenced each other early on.

noun throughs

  1. obsolete A coffin, sarcophagus or tomb of stone; a large slab of stone laid on a tomb, or in a dry-stone wall from one side to the other; a perpend.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: finished, done, direct, through with, pass, transit, forward, forth, behind, across, passed, ended, over, around, under, towards

Translations

Every language

prep entering, then later exiting

Española través de, al través de
日本語...を通って ...o tōtte, ...を通り抜けて ...o tōrinukete
Portuguêsatravés de, pelo, pela
Françaisà travers
Deutschdurch
Românăprin
Русскийче́рез čérez, сквозь skvozʹ
العربيةعَبْر ʕabr

prep from one side of an opening to the other

Española través de, por, al través de
한국어을 통하여 eul tonghayeo, 통해 tonghae
日本語...を通って ...o tōtte, ...を通り抜けて ...o tōrinukete
中文通過 /通过 tōngguò
Portuguêspelo, pela, por, através
Françaispar, à travers
Deutschdurch
Italianoattraverso
Românăprin
Русскийче́рез čérez, сквозь skvozʹ
Tiếng Việtqua, xuyên qua
العربيةخِلَالَ ḵilāla, عَبْرَ ʕabra

prep surrounded by (while moving)

Españolpor
日本語...を通って ...o tōtte, ...を通り抜けて ...o tōrinukete
Portuguêsatravés de, por entre
Françaisdans
Deutschdurch
Italianoper
Русскийче́рез čérez, сквозь skvozʹ, по po
العربيةفِي fī

prep by means of

Españolmediante, por medio de, por mediación de, por intermedio de, a través de, al través de
中文以 yǐ, 透過 /透过 tòuguò
Portuguêspor
Françaispar
Deutschdurch
Italianograzie a
Ελληνικάμέσω méso
Românăprin
Русскийпри по́мощи pri pómošči, и́з-за íz-za, благодаря́ blagodarjá, за счёт za sčot
العربيةبِوَاسِطَة bi-wāsiṭa

adv from one side to the other

Portuguêsatravés
Italianoattraverso

Talk about this word

Cite this
MLA

"through." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/through. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

through. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/through

Chicago

"through." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/through.

BibTeX
@misc{through_2026,
  title = {through},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/through},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}