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

Unused half-and-half can be frozen for up to 2 months, but may separate upon thawing—shake well and blend into soups or mix into batters. — Alyse Whitney, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026

Chicken was thawing in stagnant sink water; chicken was removed from the sink. — Arkansas Online, 4 Sep. 2026

Noun

As sedums have shallow, fibrous roots, mulching around the base of the plant in the fall after planting helps to prevent frost heave during freeze-and-thaw cycles in the winter. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 6 Sep. 2026

After developing it in the 1920s, the Soviets continued this strategy through World War II, Stalin’s death, and the thaw that arrived with his successor, Nikita Khrushchev. — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 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