Meaning & use
in depth or indepth
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Thoroughly and with great detail; not superficially.
Grammar: Used after a verb like 'study' or 'discuss': We studied the topic in depth.
Patterns
- study something in depth
- discuss something in depth
- explore something in depth
The report examines the causes of the crisis in depth.
We need to study the problem in depth before making a decision.
She researched the history of the town in depth for her book.
adjectivebefore a noun
Very thorough and detailed.
Grammar: Usually written with a hyphen before a noun: an in-depth interview.
Patterns
- in-depth analysis
- in-depth interview
- in-depth report
The newspaper published an in-depth analysis of the election results.
He gave an in-depth interview about his career.
The course provides in-depth knowledge of the subject.
Common combinations
- in-depth analysis
- The team carried out an in-depth analysis of the data.
- in-depth interview
- She gave an in-depth interview to the local paper.
- study in depth
- Students study the subject in depth during the second year.
- in-depth knowledge
- The job requires in-depth knowledge of tax law.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thorough
- Focuses on completeness and care, often for a single action or check, while 'in depth' emphasizes going deep into detail.
- detailed
- Simply means having many details; 'in depth' suggests a deeper, more systematic treatment.
Opposites
Commonly confused: in depth or indepth or indepth?
in depth or indepth vs indepth
Many people write 'indepth' as one word, but standard English uses two words: 'in depth' or hyphenated 'in-depth' before a noun.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'in depth' (two words). 'In deep' is not used for study; 'indepth' is a common misspelling; 'in deeply' is not grammatical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “in depth or indepth”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.