Word.ws English Dictionary

thru

UK/θɹuː//θɹu/

thru is the nonstandard spelling of through.

thru is the abbreviation of through.

thru is the eye dialect spelling of through.

Meaning of through

Preposition

through

  1. So as to enter (something), pass within or across, and then leave.
    • I drove through Lausanne on my way from Geneva to Zurich.
  2. So as to progress within (something) or towards the end or limit of (something).
    • The virus broke out in the capital city and is now spreading quickly through the country.
  3. From one side of (an opening) to the other.
    • Go straight ahead and through that door.
  4. To or beyond the other side of (an obstacle); past.
    • I hope to start in the autumn, but I've got to get through the interview first.
  5. ('get through' etc.) Indicating that something has been consumed or used up.
    • Have you got through all those chocolates already?!
  6. Along the course of; used in expressions of progress towards the end of something.
    • We're halfway through the year.

See all 31 meanings of through

Origin of thru

Modern use originated in American English as a phonetic and simplified spelling of through around 1839. The spelling had previously been one of several used in Middle English.

Words formed from thru

Phrases with thru

Words that rhyme with thru

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about thru

What is thru the nonstandard spelling of?
Thru is the nonstandard spelling of through.
How do you pronounce thru?
Thru is pronounced /θɹuː/ (UK).

Words near thru in the dictionary

  1. throwstick
  2. throwsticks
  3. throwup
  4. throwups
  5. THRs
  6. thru
  7. thru-hike
  8. thru-hiked
  9. thru-hiker
  10. thru-hikers
  11. thru-hikes

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: thru (page history and authors); through (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-through.ogg.

Cite this entry: “thru.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/thru. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.