complete and thorough share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. complete means “come or bring to a finish or an end”. thorough means “painstakingly careful and accurate”. complete is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/kəmˈplit/
1.v.come or bring to a finish or an end
“He finished the dishes”
2.v.bring to a whole, with all the necessary parts or elements
“A child would complete the family”
3.v.complete or carry out
“discharge one's duties”
/ˈθɝoʊ/
1.adj.painstakingly careful and accurate
“our accountant is thorough”
2.adj.performed comprehensively and completely; not superficial or partial
“an exhaustive study”
3.adj.without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers
“an arrant fool”
| complete | thorough | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kəmˈplit/ | /ˈθɝoʊ/ |
| Said | kuhm-PLEET | THUR-oh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 8 | 8 |
| Parts of speech | verb, adjective | adjective |
| Senses | 10 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | finish | none recorded |
Full entry for complete · Full entry for thorough · More comparisons