Thoroughgoing exploration (9)

I believe the answer is:

searching

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This might be a double definition.

'thoroughgoing' is the first definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?

'exploration' is the second definition.
(thesaurus)

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for searching that I've seen before include "Going through" , "Hunting (for)" , "Exploring" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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