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
Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025
But interviews for that profile were conducted weeks ago, and Puck first reported earlier this week that since then, Netflix struck a deal with AMC to show KPop Demon Hunters in its theaters — a sign of thawing relations between two companies that had been engaged in a cold war since around 2019.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Use your mower bag to collect leaves from your mulching mower, then spread around shrubs and perennials to keep down weeds, retain moisture, and prevent frost-heaving of plants during freeze-thaw cycles in the winter.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Typically selling out well in advance of Thanksgiving, the bird arrives frozen and can be thawed and heated to feed eight to 12 people.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025
But interviews for that profile were conducted weeks ago, and Puck first reported earlier this week that since then, Netflix struck a deal with AMC to show KPop Demon Hunters in its theaters — a sign of thawing relations between two companies that had been engaged in a cold war since around 2019.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
To use, simply thaw overnight before using.
—Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 21 Oct. 2025
Use your mower bag to collect leaves from your mulching mower, then spread around shrubs and perennials to keep down weeds, retain moisture, and prevent frost-heaving of plants during freeze-thaw cycles in the winter.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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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