thawed; thawing; thaws
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
: to cause to thaw
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
Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
Making sure the steaks have been fully thawed and brought to room temperature is the first crucial step for most people, but others have memories of their parents or grandparents rinsing steak in the sink, or perhaps soaking it in water, before the prep work begins.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
The landslide created a myriad of issues, the biggest being traffic backups, but PennDOT said that's a risk when the winter thaw happens.
—Patrick Damp, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thaw
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Verb
Rapid freezing, on the other hand, forms smaller ice crystals, helping foods maintain their natural shape and texture when thawed.
—Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 11 Jan. 2026
Making sure the steaks have been fully thawed and brought to room temperature is the first crucial step for most people, but others have memories of their parents or grandparents rinsing steak in the sink, or perhaps soaking it in water, before the prep work begins.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
Keep monitoring your pipes as they thaw.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
The landslide created a myriad of issues, the biggest being traffic backups, but PennDOT said that's a risk when the winter thaw happens.
—Patrick Damp, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thaw
1 of 2 verb1
: 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 noun1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice and snow
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