1 B1 neutral
To read a complete text from start to finish, often to check or understand it.
"I read through the lease agreement twice before signing it."
separable
read through
B1 neutral separable transitive
To read something from beginning to end, usually to check it or understand it fully.
In plain English
To read something all the way from the start to the finish.
What does "read through" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
(Theatre) A rehearsal in which the cast reads the entire script aloud together, usually for the first time.
"The director gathered the whole cast for a read-through before rehearsals began in earnest."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To read all the way through a text from one end to the other.
Actually means
To read something all the way from the start to the finish.
Usage tip
Also used as a noun ('a read-through') in theatrical contexts, meaning the first rehearsal where the script is read aloud by the cast. In everyday use, it implies reading the complete text rather than just dipping in.
Words that pair with "read through"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
script contract report document manuscript application
How to conjugate "read through"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
read through
I/you/we/they
3rd person
reads through
he/she/it
Past simple
read through
yesterday
Past participle
read through
have + pp
-ing form
reading through
continuous
Hear "read through" in the wild
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Other ways to say "read through"
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