thawed; thawing; thaws
1
a
: to go from a frozen to a liquid state : melt
b
: to become free of the effect (such as stiffness, numbness, or hardness) of cold as a result of exposure to warmth
2
: to be warm enough to melt ice and snow
—used with it in reference to the weather
3
: to abandon aloofness, reserve, or hostility : unbend
4
: to become mobile, active, or susceptible to change
: to cause to thaw
1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice
the January thaw
3
: the action or process of becoming less aloof, less hostile, or more genial
a thaw in international relations
Examples of thaw in a Sentence
Verb
Plant the seeds in early spring as soon as the ground thaws.
The sun will soon thaw the snow and ice.
The weather is beginning to thaw.
Our cold fingers and toes eventually thawed.
She held the coffee cup tightly, trying to thaw her frozen fingers.
Noun
flooding from the spring thaw
a thaw in international relations
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
There are signs of thawing relations with some Gulf neighbors.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 20 June 2025
What happens if my water thaws before going through TSA security?
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Uncovering the cubs’ eating habits Trapped in thawing permafrost, the Tumat Puppies were discovered separately at the Syalakh site, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the nearest village of Tumat — one in 2011 and the other in 2015.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 14 June 2025
There are signs of thawing relations with some Gulf neighbors.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2025
Noun
This continues the thaw in the cold war between Sosa and the organization.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 20 June 2025
What happens if my water thaws before going through TSA security?
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thaw
1 of 2 verb1
: to melt or cause to melt
ice on the pond is thawing
2
: to become free of the effects of cold temperatures by being exposed to warmth
frozen foods thawed before cooking
thaw
2 of 2 noun1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice and snow
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