thaw

verb

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\ 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

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Synonyms & Antonyms for thaw

Synonyms: Verb

Antonyms: Verb

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 Now, as temperatures begin to thaw across New York City making way for the advent of spring, Holmes has again pulled out her trusty knitwear—this time, to curate a fresh spin on workwear. — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, "Katie Holmes Pairs Her Famous Cardigan with Overalls for a Fresh Spin on Workwear," 12 Mar. 2021 Plants thaw out too rapidly and damage is done to their frozen tissues. — Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, "Neil Sperry says it's too soon to know whether palm trees survived the freeze in San Antonio," 5 Mar. 2021 In the case of March, the full moon is known as the Worm Moon, as the ground usually begins to thaw with the arrival of spring, and earthworms come out. — Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, "A Super Worm Moon Will Light Up the Sky This Weekend — How to See It," 26 Mar. 2021 To thaw, leave frozen butter in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 3–4 hours. — Samantha Macavoy, Good Housekeeping, "Can You Freeze Butter?," 11 Mar. 2021 Charles Williams, director of public works for the city of Jackson, said that as frozen machinery at the water plant began to thaw with rising temperatures, dozens of water mains broke. — The Christian Science Monitor, "Water problems across the South: Blame it on decades-old pipes," 25 Feb. 2021 Charles Williams, director of public works for the city of Jackson, said that as frozen machinery at the water plant began to thaw with rising temperatures, dozens of water mains broke. — Star Tribune, "Southern exposure: Cold wreaks havoc on aging waterworks," 25 Feb. 2021 The country should begin to thaw early next week, exposing the extent of the storm damage on the East Coast, Southeast and in devastated Texas, where there's a critical drinking water shortage and many residents remain under a boil-water advisory. — Julia Musto, Fox News, "Texas facing water crisis, temperatures to climb after storms, deadly deep freeze," 21 Feb. 2021 People living at the encampment a few blocks away often come into the store to shop, steal, thaw out frozen limbs, or relieve themselves. — Ann Larson, The New Republic, "My Pandemic Year Behind the Checkout Counter," 5 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The great thaw is over and Minnesotans got to see a glimpse of warm weather on Monday. — Alex Chhith, Star Tribune, "Weather reached 70 degrees in Twin Cities, grass fire starts in northwest Minnesota," 29 Mar. 2021 The thaw in the U.S. disputes with the EU and UK were part of an effort to resolve a longstanding Airbus-Boeing dispute. — Bruce Schreiner, chicagotribune.com, "Whiskey makers still facing tariffs from Trump’s trade dispute with Europe and they could double," 21 Mar. 2021 However, the thaw will be gradual, and the Great Lakes area will continue to see light snow through Sunday morning as a system moves across the Northeast, according to the National Weather Service. — Julia Musto, Fox News, "Texas facing water crisis, temperatures to climb after storms, deadly deep freeze," 21 Feb. 2021 When the spring thaw comes, don’t shirk the sunshine in favor of your new chess habit. — Janelle Randazza, USA TODAY, "26 popular chess sets for people obsessed with The Queen's Gambit," 2 Dec. 2020 In the case of snowy owls, permafrost thaw and decreased snow depth threaten their main source of food — lemmings — and the loss of sea ice reduces their ability to hunt sea ducks in winter. — Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News, "New photography books document the lives of 2 mysterious owls," 1 Nov. 2020 The county would begin taking steps to adapt to a time when the local climate becomes more moderate, even modifying pavement and sidewalk designs to accommodate changes in freeze and thaw cycles. — David Chanen, Star Tribune, "Hennepin County releases comprehensive climate action plan," 27 Feb. 2021 Hundreds of those apartments were damaged in last week’s freeze and thaw. — Steve Brown, Dallas News, "Texas freeze damage will likely cause a rise in apartment occupancy," 23 Feb. 2021 The constant freeze and thaw of early spring often makes for a muddy disaster. — Joe Weimer, Outdoor Life, "7 Surefire Ways to Ruin Your Spring Snow Goose Hunt," 22 Feb. 2021

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.