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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is to place it in the refrigerator, which takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds of meat, according to IDPH. Sylvan Lebrun, Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024 Is your turkey thawed, prepped and ready to pop in the oven? Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 24 Nov. 2024
Noun
The concern is to keep bacteria from growing when the turkey thaws. Katia Hetter, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024 In those cases, Woulfe suggests the cold-water thaw method. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for thaw 

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 10 Dec. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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