defrost

verb

de·​frost di-ˈfrȯst 

ˈdē-ˌfrȯst

defrosted; defrosting; defrosts

transitive verb

1

: to release from a frozen state

defrost meat

2

a

: to free from ice

defrost a refrigerator/freezer

b

: to clear (a window or windshield) with a vehicle's defroster

defrost a windshield to clear it of ice and condensation

intransitive verb

: to thaw out especially from a deep-frozen state

Examples of defrost in a Sentence

You can defrost the soup in the microwave.

Has the refrigerator defrosted yet?

Recent Examples on the Web

There were the small things at first — taking her medicine in the morning, remembering to defrost the meat before dinner — ordinary tasks that had become so routine that Stuart, now 54 and living in Boston, barely had to think about them. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026

Leafy Greens Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and kale don’t retain their original texture once frozen and defrosted due to their high water content. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 Aug. 2026

Raw meat should also be stored on a lower shelf to prevent it from defrosting and dripping on the foods below. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2026

The fans were originally from Belarus and were meant to help Cubans defrost their Soviet Minsk-brand refrigerators. — Sarah Moreno june 5, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for defrost

• accost
• crisscrossed
• embossed
• exhaust
• recrossed
• uncrossed
• bossed
• cost
• crossed
• dost
• glossed
• lost

Kids Definition

defrost

verb

de·​frost di-ˈfrȯst 

ˈdē-

1

: to free from a frozen state : thaw out

defrost meat

2

: to free from ice

defrost a refrigerator

3

: to remove fog or condensed moisture from

defrost the windshield