What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Thorough vs Enough - What's the difference?

thorough | enough |

As an adjective thorough

is painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail.

As a preposition thorough

is (obsolete) through.

As a noun thorough

is (uk|dialect) a furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.

As a determiner enough is

sufficient; all that is required, needed, or appropriate.

As an adverb enough is

sufficiently.

As a pronoun enough is

a sufficient or adequate number, amount, etc.

As an interjection enough is

stop! don't do that anymore, etc.

thorough

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) .

Alternative forms

* thoro

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • painstaking and careful not to miss or omit any detail
    • 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.
  • utter; complete; absolute
    • It is a thorough pleasure to see him beg for mercy.
    Derived terms
    * thoroughbred * thoroughgoing * thoroughly

    Etymology 2

    A disyllabic form of (etyl) .

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (obsolete) Through.
  • * , II.xii:
    • Ye might haue seene the frothy billowes fry / Vnder the ship, as thorough them she went [...].
  • * 1599 , , V. i. 109:
    • You are contented to be led in triumph / Thorough the streets of Rome?

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (UK, dialect) A furrow between two ridges, to drain off the surface water.
    • (Halliwell)

    enough

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) * (l) (obsolete) * (l), (l), (l) (Scotland)

    Determiner

    (en determiner)
  • Sufficient; all that is required, needed, or appropriate.
  • * Bible, (Gospel of Luke) xv. 17
    • How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare!
  • * , chapter=16
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The preposterous altruism too!
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=15 citation , passage=‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough ! […] What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’}}

    Adverb

    (head)
  • Sufficiently.
  • :
  • *, chapter=5
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=Of all the queer collections of humans outside of a crazy asylum, it seemed to me this sanitarium was the cup winner. […] When you're well enough off so's you don't have to fret about anything but your heft or your diseases you begin to get queer, I suppose.}}
  • Fully; quite; used to express slight augmentation of the positive degree, and sometimes equivalent to very .
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:I know you well enough ; you are Signior Antonio.
  • *
  • *:“[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

    • Usage notes

    * As an adverb, enough always follows the verb it qualifies.

    Pronoun

    (English Pronouns)
  • A sufficient or adequate number, amount, etc.
    • I have enough to keep me going .

    Interjection

  • stop! Don't do that anymore, etc.
    • Enough !

    Statistics

    * English words prefixed with y- 1000 English basic words