fairly thorough

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fairly thorough" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is reasonably comprehensive or detailed, but not exhaustive. Example: "The report was fairly thorough, covering most of the key points but leaving out some minor details."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

She gave me a fairly thorough examination, and when she left I tried again to sleep.

The New York Times

This 10-week inquest has been a fairly thorough inquiry, yet on an unequal field.

The Guardian - Opinion

The scene also delivers, in a matter of minutes, a fairly thorough portrait of the ambivalence that pervades any marriage.

The New York Times

Elsewhere Sporting had a busy draft, and have generally looked to be doing fairly thorough roster makeovers throughout their depth positions.

The Guardian - Sport

But even better, the site has recipes galore and links to resources like a fairly thorough glossary of Asian food terms, from Charlaine Solomon's Encyclopedia of Asian Food.

The New York Times - Food

A fairly thorough examination of this implementation is carried out, revealing that high accuracies are often achievable using surprisingly few numerical surface points.

Journal of Computational Physics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

Sounds pretty thorough.

The New York Times

Digpicz pulls its data from the Digg API so it should be fairly accurate and thorough, although as an unofficial site with a logo and name that is bound to cause trademark issues it will be interesting to see whether it's left alone by Digg itself.

TechCrunch

Sometimes it involves research and exploration of a fairly deep and thorough nature.

Huffington Post

Well, Naomi [Amanda Tapping] has been continuing to program Cas as something of a "Manchurian Candidate" and that programming process has been quite thorough, and fairly successful, as well.

Huffington Post

You have got to do better, to be more thorough, to fairly investigate what is going on with this disease, and to report in an ethical manner, not regurgitate advisories that skew and politicize reality.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context and audience when using "fairly thorough". In more formal settings, "reasonably comprehensive" might be a preferable alternative.

Common error

Avoid using "fairly thorough" when you mean something is absolutely complete or exhaustive. This can create a mismatch between your intended message and the reader's understanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly thorough" functions as a modifier, specifically an adjective phrase, used to describe the extent or quality of a noun. As confirmed by Ludwig, it suggests that something has been done with a good degree of detail and completeness, but not necessarily to the highest possible extent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

29%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "fairly thorough" is a versatile adjective phrase used to describe something that is reasonably complete or detailed without being exhaustive. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that it is grammatically correct and very commonly used across various contexts, particularly in news and media, science, and academic writing. While the phrase maintains a neutral register and can be used in both formal and informal settings, it's important to avoid overstating completeness. Consider using alternatives like "reasonably comprehensive" or "quite detailed" to fine-tune the meaning based on your specific needs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reasonably comprehensive

Emphasizes the extent of coverage but suggests it's within reasonable limits.

quite detailed

Focuses on the level of detail provided, implying a good amount of information.

moderately exhaustive

Suggests a significant degree of completeness, though not entirely.

somewhat exhaustive

Indicates a certain level of completeness but implies that it could be more complete.

pretty comprehensive

Similar to "fairly thorough" in denoting a good but not total coverage.

relatively complete

Highlights that the completeness is notable in comparison to something else.

fairly exhaustive

Suggests almost complete coverage but with a slight reservation.

reasonably detailed

Combines the ideas of being reasonable and having detail.

quite extensive

Highlights the breadth and scope of the matter but not the depth.

moderately detailed

Indicates a level of detail that is neither excessive nor lacking.

FAQs

How can I use "fairly thorough" in a sentence?

Use "fairly thorough" to describe something that is reasonably comprehensive or detailed, but not exhaustive. For example: "The investigation was "fairly thorough", covering most aspects of the incident."

What can I say instead of "fairly thorough"?

You can use alternatives like "reasonably comprehensive", "quite detailed", or "moderately exhaustive" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "fairly thorough" formal or informal?

"Fairly thorough" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal settings, a more precise term like "reasonably comprehensive" might be preferred.

What's the difference between "fairly thorough" and "very thorough"?

"Fairly thorough" indicates a good level of detail and completeness, but "very thorough" suggests an even greater degree of exhaustiveness and attention to detail. "Very thorough" implies a more comprehensive and in-depth approach than ""fairly thorough"".