thick

1 of 3

adjective

1
a
: having or being of relatively great depth or extent from one surface to its opposite
a thick plank
b
: heavily built : thickset
2
a
: close-packed with units or individuals
the air was thick with snow
b
: occurring in large numbers : numerous
c
: viscous in consistency
thick syrup
d
e
: marked by haze, fog, or mist
thick weather
f
: impenetrable to the eye : profound
thick darkness
g
: extremely intense
thick silence
3
: measuring in thickness
12 inches thick
4
a
: imperfectly articulated : indistinct
thick speech
b
: plainly apparent : decided
a thick French accent
c
: producing inarticulate speech
a thick tongue
5
: obtuse, stupid
too thick to understand
6
: associated on close terms : intimate
was quite thick with his pastor
7
: exceeding bounds of propriety or fitness : excessive
called it a bit thick to be fired without warning
thickish adjective
thickly adverb

thick

2 of 3

adverb

: in a thick manner : thickly

thick

3 of 3

noun

1
: the most crowded or active part
in the thick of the battle
2
: the part of greatest thickness
the thick of the thumb
Phrases
thick on the ground

Examples of thick in a Sentence

Adjective a thick layer of ice a thick slice of ham pizza with a thick crust a bodybuilder with a thick, short body The planks were two inches thick. The log was 12 inches thick. a dog with thick fur She has thick, curly hair. The fog was thick this morning. Adverb Apples hung thick on the trees. Noun in the thick of winter many Northerners are dreaming of tropical islands See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
And that meant one less big against one of the bigger, stronger, beefier, thicker teams on SDSU’s schedule. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Nov. 2023 Altogether, the 16-acre spread, sequestered amid thick woodlands in the Water Mill area, comprises three parcels with a handful of ultra-modern structures designed by the vaunted Manhattan firm 1100 Architect. Mark David, Robb Report, 18 Nov. 2023 With their thick, flame-resistant bark and elevated crowns they are well adapted to wildfire. WIRED, 18 Nov. 2023 With its fudge-like texture that’s likened to a pecan pie and a thick layer of buttery crust, this pie delivers the incredible burst of flavor that Milk Bar desserts are known for. Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2023 Over time, the nails become thick, brittle, and ingrown, causing pain. Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 16 Nov. 2023 What to Consider: The vest may be uncomfortable if worn over thick outer layers. Laura Holt, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023 Its formula with rose water and aloe gently detangles and hydrates, making your hair thicker, less frizzy, and healthier. Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023 Counteracting all that fat is an aji criollo, a thick green sauce of garlic, peppers and herbs that thrums with lime juice and vinegar. Gabe Hiatt, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2023
Adverb
For a slab of only a few inches (5 cm) thick, your line only needs to be about one-eighth of an inch (one-half cm) deep. Hugh Garvey, Sunset Magazine, 7 Sep. 2023 Cucinelli, however, isn’t one to play the purist: the collection also sees the designer dabble in fiber blends including a baby alpaca, wool and polyamide crewneck qnd a thick-looking mélange rollneck that is disarmingly composed of virgin wool, cashmere and silk. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 13 Oct. 2022 The gift boxes were a real standout in our evaluations as well, and our culinary pros especially loved the thick-cut and meaty bacon — no fatty, stingy slices here. Nicole Papantoniou, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023 The tank top is also a thick-strapped, cropped style that mimics a sweater vest. Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 12 Dec. 2022 There's a thick-rimmed, flat-bottomed steering wheel as well as a set of analog gauges. Eric Stafford, Car and Driver, 9 Dec. 2022 The homestyle diner serves breakfast and lunch from a scratch kitchen and features daily fresh-baked breads, thick-cut Applewood smoked bacon and freshly squeezed juices. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2022 And even Bottega Veneta is into the thick-soled trend. Alexis Bennett, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2021 Wipe out the pan and cook the bacon over medium heat until golden and crispy, about 5 minutes for thick-cut bacon. Bianca Betancourt, Harper's BAZAAR, 22 Sep. 2021
Noun
Nearly everything that had ever gone wrong on arctic journeys struck the crew and passengers of the Karluk, and Levy brings readers right into the thick of it. David James, Anchorage Daily News, 6 May 2023 The approach has served them well in their journey to get back above .500 and into the thick of the playoff race. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023 The Manhattan judge on Trump’s first indictment, brought by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, has already set a March 24 trial date—the thick of the later presidential primaries. Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 8 June 2023 The message is clear: This one-man performance of a monumental work published in the early ’40s, during the bitter thick of World War II, is going to be a leap into the cosmos, maybe into the void. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Apr. 2023 This was also very much the case during the thick of the pandemic. Alexa Gagosz, BostonGlobe.com, 31 July 2023 The 2024 People’s Choice Awards will air on NBC and E! and stream on Peacock on Sunday, Feb. 18 — which puts the show right in thick of awards season for the first time in years. Paul Grein, Billboard, 14 June 2023 After Burrow was carted off with a likely season-ending left knee injury, Young and 36-year-old Alex Smith helped Washington beat the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-9, to stay in the thick of the NFC East race. Stephen Whyno, baltimoresun.com, 22 Nov. 2020 Edgin avoids the thick of combat, preferring to play insipid songs on his lute. Ed Park, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English thikke, from Old English thicce; akin to Old High German dicki thick, Old Irish tiug

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thick was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near thick

Cite this Entry

“Thick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thick. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

thick

1 of 3 adjective
1
: having or being of great depth or extent from one surface to its opposite
a thick plank
2
: heavily built : thickset
3
a
: having units closely packed together : dense
a thick forest
b
: occurring in large numbers : numerous
flies were thick in the barn
c
: viscous sense 2
thick syrup
4
: marked by haze, fog, or mist
thick weather
5
: measuring in thickness
12 inches thick
6
a
: not clearly spoken
thick speech
b
: plainly obvious
a thick French accent
7
: stupid sense 1a
too thick to understand
8
: associated on close terms : intimate
those two are really thick
9
: going beyond what is proper or enough
the flattery was a bit thick
thickish adjective
thickly adverb

thick

2 of 3 noun
1
: the most crowded or active part
in the thick of things
2
: the part of greatest thickness
the thick of the thumb

thick

3 of 3 adverb
: in a thick manner : so as to be thick : thickly
misfortunes came thick and fast

More from Merriam-Webster on thick

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