thaw

1 of 2

verb

thawed; thawing; thaws

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

: to cause to thaw

thaw

2 of 2

noun

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
Verb
The reality is that when embryos are thawed, transferred, or even left in storage, there’s a chance they could be damaged. Ruthie Ackerman, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024 Proper watering in spring when the soil is thawed helps wash salt off the plants and leach it into the soil away from plant roots. Melinda Myers, Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 Two bags of raw beef were thawing on top of an electrical burner, and a bucket of beans was being stored beneath the front register, according to the report. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 17 Feb. 2024 Across the colder reaches of the continent, the icy grip of winter is beginning to thaw, ushering in a new round of colorful flowers for tourists to admire. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Multiple embryos are typically frozen in case initial embryo transfers are unsuccessful, if the complex freezing and thawing process renders the embryos unsuitable for transfer, or if a patient desires more children in the future. Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2024 Mortgage rates have fallen since, and sales, especially of new homes, are beginning to thaw from the anemic pace of last year. Conor Dougherty, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 Jen wasn’t found for another two months, when her remains were spotted at the bottom of a snowy embankment that had begun to thaw, Cobb said. Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024 But her infectious laughter charms Dan and eventually the frost around his heart begins to thaw. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Feb. 2024
Noun
The town of about 2,400 is home to Canada’s first gambling hall, museums and other colorful buildings — many of them tilting ominously as the permafrost thaws under their foundations. Fiona McGlynn, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 In San Francisco, a summit that signaled a thaw in relations with China ended with President Biden undiplomatically calling China's president a dictator. ABC News, 19 Nov. 2023 Although the housing market traditionally thaws every spring, aspiring homebuyers may want to consider an extended hibernation given what is an exceptionally tough market this year. Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024 Researchers have found that as the freeze and thaw of the Arctic landscape has changed over the past 25 years, the hardy Arctic ground squirrel’s hibernation patterns are adapting. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 What is different, though, is that embryos have a slightly better chance of surviving the thaw process (95% on average versus around 90% for eggs). Paige Stables, Allure, 16 Nov. 2023 Exchange the water every 30 minutes (bacon often thaws within an hour). Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024 True, the networks have been working together recently — the announcement of a joint streaming platform (with Warner Bros. Discovery) is hard evidence of a thaw. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 The developments point to a tentative détente struck by Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi at a summit near San Francisco in November — and both the potential and the limitations of that thaw in relations. Olivia Wang, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thaw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English thawian; akin to Old High German douwen to thaw, Greek tēkein to melt, Latin tabēre to waste away

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thaw was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near thaw

Cite this Entry

“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thaw

1 of 2 verb
1
: 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 noun
1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice and snow

More from Merriam-Webster on thaw

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