not thorough enough

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'not thorough enough' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a job, task, or activity that has not been completed correctly due to a lack of attention to detail. For example, "This report is not thorough enough; I had to spend extra time finding the information that was missing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

The study was not thorough enough to capture other risk factors, she said.

The New York Times

Ms. Hunter, a videographer who was briefly hired by the Edwards campaign, said she thought she had destroyed it, but evidently was not thorough enough.

The New York Times - Arts

Faulting the United Nations for not taking his concerns seriously, he said the criteria for invalidating votes are not thorough enough to weed out all the fraud.

The Economist

His book is too hurried to be an end in itself, and not thorough enough to convince sceptics of his point of view.

The Economist

In the past, Mr. Safir has often said that he must re-investigate the cases forwarded to him because the review board's investigations are not thorough enough.

The New York Times

Last month an internal investigation concluded that the bank's controls were not thorough enough, and staff had failed to make checks that could have uncovered the rogue trades.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

But they weren't thorough enough.

The Guardian - Sport

"Obviously we weren't thorough enough," Mr. McAteer said.

The New York Times

Pougatch hasn't quite been up to the mark and obviously his knowledge of cricket isn't thorough enough.

BBC

Gowdy spokesman Jamal Ware said the chairman was making the point that past investigations weren't thorough enough.

Huffington Post

But the vetting wasn't thorough enough -- as shown by the scandal involving her firing of the state's public safety commissioner because he wouldn't fire his sister's ex-husband, a state trooper.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When criticizing a process or analysis, specify which aspects were lacking or what could have been improved to make it more thorough. For example, "The literature review was "not thorough enough" because it omitted recent studies on the topic".

Common error

Avoid simply stating that something is "not thorough enough" without providing context or examples. Instead, explain what specific elements were missed or overlooked to provide constructive feedback.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not thorough enough" functions as an adjectival phrase that modifies a noun, expressing a judgment about the degree to which something meets a certain standard of completeness or detail. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is usable in written English, indicating that something lacks adequate attention to detail.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not thorough enough" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something lacks sufficient detail or completeness. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. It's frequently used in contexts like news reports, scientific analyses, and business evaluations. When using this phrase, it's best practice to provide specific examples of what was lacking to offer constructive criticism. Alternatives like "inadequate detail" or "insufficiently detailed" can be used to add nuance. Remember that stating something is "not thorough enough" without context can be vague, so be specific to improve clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insufficiently detailed

Highlights the lack of sufficient detail.

inadequate detail

Focuses on the insufficient level of detail provided.

cursory review

Suggests a quick and surface-level review.

lacking in depth

Emphasizes the absence of profound exploration.

incomplete investigation

Stresses the unfinished nature of the investigation.

negligent in detail

Emphasizes the carelessness regarding detail.

superficial analysis

Indicates a shallow level of analysis.

sketchy assessment

Highlights the incompleteness of the assessment.

perfunctory examination

Implies a hasty and careless examination.

left something to be desired

Indicates that the work could have been improved or wasn't completed as well as expected.

FAQs

How can I use "not thorough enough" in a sentence?

You can use "not thorough enough" to describe something that lacks detail or completeness. For instance, "The investigation was "not thorough enough" to uncover all the facts".

What are some alternatives to saying "not thorough enough"?

Alternatives include phrases like "inadequate detail", "insufficiently detailed", or "lacking in depth", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "not thorough enough" or "not exhaustive enough"?

Both are valid, but "not thorough enough" implies a lack of attention to detail, while "not exhaustive enough" suggests that the search or analysis didn't cover all possible aspects. The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "not thorough enough" and "not careful enough"?

"Not careful enough" implies a lack of caution or attention leading to errors, while "not thorough enough" suggests a lack of completeness or depth in the work, regardless of whether errors were made. While there is some overlap, the emphasis differs.