thaw

verb

\ ˈthȯ

thawed; thawing; thaws

Definition of thaw

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : 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

transitive verb

: to cause to thaw

thaw

noun

Definition of thaw (Entry 2 of 2)

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

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about thaw

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms & Antonyms for thaw

Synonyms: Verb

deliquesce, flux, fuse, liquefy (also liquify), melt, run

Antonyms: Verb

harden, set, solidify

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: Verb

But an April 2014 inspection resulted in one violation for raw beef stored above cooked, ready-to-eat food, as well as thawing meats stored above cookie bars. — Zlati Meyer, USA TODAY, "Trump vs. Red Hen restaurant: Eateries in Trump properties also dinged for violations," 5 July 2018 Human-assisted or not, thawing permafrost is a slow-motion disaster happening now in most of northern Alaska. — Ned Rozell, Anchorage Daily News, "Warming in the north continues as predicted," 23 June 2018 Also, an employee was seen practicing incorrect handwashing and raw meat was thawing at the wrong temperature. — Joshua Sharpe, ajc, "Flies found at American Deli in DeKalb during failed health check," 7 June 2018 There was also juice from thawing chicken found inside the sink that’s supposed to be for preparing fruits and vegetables. — Ben Brasch, ajc, "Cobb restaurant fails health check with flies, dirty margarita machine," 2 July 2018 And two funny things happened: Something thawed among the four who couldn’t stand each other all year. — Philly.com, "These Philly school kids made it through the year without fighting. Their reward was more than just money.," 8 June 2018 After thawing, they can be heated on a hot pan for best results, or microwaved. — sandiegouniontribune.com, "Product spotlight: vegan tortillas from Potapas," 9 May 2018 The solution: thaw out the man who originally captured Phoenix more than 30 years ago: Sergeant John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone). — Tasha Robinson, The Verge, "10 subversive, dark American futures to stream on July 4th," 4 July 2018 Alligators at The Shallotte River Swamp Park in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, had a chance to thaw out and sun themselves after temperatures rose above freezing on January 9. — Mark Price, charlotteobserver, "This NC town hopes to attract more tourists - by letting them hunt alligators | Charlotte Observer," 25 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Rapid Thaw The agreement follows a rapid thaw of tensions on the peninsula after a flurry of North Korean missile tests and a hydrogen bomb detonation last year. — Fortune, "'Korean War to End!' Trump Hails 2 Koreas' Deal to Pursue Denuclearization," 27 Apr. 2018 The move came amid a recent thaw of animosities, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un trying to reach out to Seoul and Washington in recent months. — Washington Post, "SKorea halts propaganda broadcasts before summit with North," 22 Apr. 2018 Observers of the diplomatic thaw have asked whether peace with Ethiopia would lead Eritrea to loosen up and drop its long defensive stance. — Elias Meseret, The Christian Science Monitor, "Ethiopia and Eritrea unite after ending 20-year border war," 9 July 2018 First, don’t confuse this latest thaw with anything approaching a resolution of the core issues. — Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, "Welcome to the U.S.-China Cold Soup War," 21 May 2018 Still, Webster said a museum volunteer saw one in Lake County during the current thaw. — Grant Segall, cleveland.com, "Groundhog sees its shadow, thanks to a spotlight at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (photos, video)," 27 Jan. 2018 The Minnesota Orchestra in 2015 beat out more prominent ensembles, including the Chicago Symphony, to become the first U.S. orchestra to play in Cuba since the thaw in relations with that country. — John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, "After a yearlong lockout, a revitalized Minnesota Orchestra hits the reset button," 23 Jan. 2018 Frozen vegetables like a bag of edamame, peas or corn thaw quickly at room temperature and make great additions to salads, tacos and salsas. — Terri Milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Keep your cool: No-heat cooking keeps you comfortable and the food fresh," 5 July 2018 The festival of freedom will almost surely end with a return to the prior rules, rather than a permanent thaw. — The Economist, "Russia shows another side at the World Cup," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thaw.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.