thaw

1 of 2

verb

ˈthȯ 

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

Synonyms of thaw

Verb

• melt

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

When catching pilchards is difficult, captain Dennis Forgione thaws a box of glass minnows in a bucket of water and throws a handful of the little fish in the water every 20 minutes. —Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026

Daisy, selflessly shielding Agnes from danger, has finally thawed the ice between them. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026

Noun

With the big thaw underway, conditions are almost conducive to camping. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2026

Using frozen garlic bread—straight from freezer to tray, no need to thaw or prebake—not only helps keep things quick and simple, but also provides the perfect blank canvas for toppings, like sweet Vidalia onions and plenty of garlic butter in every bite. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026

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

Rhymes for thaw

• aah
• ah
• ahh
• aw
• awe
• bah
• blah
• bra
• caw
• claw
• craw
• daw

Kids Definition

thaw

1 of 2 verb

ˈthȯ 

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