scour through

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scour through" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the act of searching thoroughly or meticulously through something, such as documents or information. Example: "I had to scour through countless files to find the information I needed for the report."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Tech

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

35 human-written examples

Officials are concerned that as search teams scour through the debris, the death toll could double.

Independent

There are true believers in the ability of computers to scour through biographical and lifestyle data to produce a telltale political fingerprint of every voter.

The New York Times

As the hunt for Tia continued on Thursday, police searched the bins on the estate where her grandmother's house is, using sticks to scour through rubbish.

The Guardian

Apologies for the paucity of emails coming through but the action has been so engrossing I've had little chance to scour through them... until now.

The Guardian - Sport

Rather than scour through game tape, he worked to keep his players loose mentally and coached the game by feel, like they used to do before 12-hour workdays and videotaping every possession became the norm around the league.

The New York Times - Sports

Even Eric E. Schmidt, the chief executive of Google, has admitted that the Internet wouldn't be worth a whole lot if there were no quality content for his company's search engine to scour through.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

25 human-written examples

It takes a lot of scouring through a lot of objects, but Altaweel is fast.

The Guardian

Last week, we scoured through some of the most unlikely football computer games of all time.

The Guardian - Sport

I mean, I wouldn't even have remembered it until you start scouring through the stuff.

The Washington Post

Scouring through all of the well wishes felt like a party in and of itself.

The Washington Post

Natalie Merchant and John Mellencamp have both devoted their latest albums to old songs after scouring through various archives.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "scour through" to emphasize a detailed and thorough search, especially when looking for something specific within a large amount of information or material. It is particularly effective when conveying the effort and persistence involved in the search process.

Common error

Avoid using "scour through" when a simpler term like "search" or "look through" would suffice. Using "scour through" for routine or casual searches can sound overly formal or dramatic, diminishing its impact when describing more intensive investigations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scour through" functions as a phrasal verb indicating a thorough and detailed search. It is often used when the search involves a large amount of material or information, implying a meticulous effort to find something specific. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is both correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

Tech

16%

Sports

8%

Less common in

Academia

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "scour through" is a phrasal verb denoting a thorough and meticulous search. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is commonly used in news, technology, and sports contexts to emphasize the intensity and detail involved in the search process. While versatile, it's best reserved for situations where a simple "search" would not adequately convey the effort and comprehensiveness of the action. Related phrases include "comb through" and "sift through", offering nuanced alternatives depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

comb through

Replaces "scour" with "comb", suggesting a more meticulous search.

search meticulously

Replaces the phrasal verb with an adverb-verb construction emphasizing thoroughness.

examine thoroughly

Similar to "search meticulously", this focuses on the depth of examination.

sift through

Suggests a process of filtering to find something specific.

delve into

Implies a deeper, more investigative search.

look through carefully

Breaks down the action into simpler components, emphasizing caution.

investigate exhaustively

Focuses on the comprehensiveness of the investigation.

explore in detail

Highlights the detailed nature of the search or examination.

check over

Suggests a review to find possible errors.

peruse

Implies reading or examining something, especially in a careful way.

FAQs

How can I use "scour through" in a sentence?

You can use "scour through" to describe a thorough and detailed search, as in "The investigators had to scour through all the evidence to find the missing piece."

What can I say instead of "scour through"?

You can use alternatives like "comb through", "sift through", or "examine thoroughly" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "scour through" or "skim through"?

"Scour through" implies a thorough and detailed search, while "skim through" means to read or glance through something quickly without paying much attention to detail. They have opposite meanings.

What's the difference between "scour through" and "search"?

"Search" is a general term for looking for something. "Scour through" implies a more intensive and thorough search, often involving a large amount of material or information.