thicken

verb

Definition of thickennext
as in to stiffen

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of thicken Gengras hangs back, letting his synths thicken the air rather than leaping boldly to the front. — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 15 July 2026 Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding begins to bubble and thicken, about 5 to 7 minutes. — ABC News, 9 July 2026 Outside the Coca-Cola Fan Zone, the crowd started to thicken, and the Waldo army was joined by the blue and yellow of the Bosnian flag. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 7 July 2026 Clouds will thicken up this afternoon, and the threat of showers and thundershowers will increase later today. — Aaron Mentkowski, New York Times, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for thicken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thicken
  1. stiffen
  2. condense
  3. harden
  4. freeze
  5. solidify
  6. curdle
  7. cake
Verb
  • Not to mention their unusually flexible blood vessels could also help compensate for stiffening heart tissue.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Even simple movements can encourage healthy blood flow and keep fascia from stiffening up.
    — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 27 July 2026
Definition of stiffen
Verb
  • Some of that material condensed into tiny droplets called spherules, which spread around the planet before falling back through Earth's atmosphere at several miles per second.
    — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • These particles act as seeds on which water vapor condenses to form cloud droplets.
    — Yunyao Li, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of condense
Verb
  • The early search web was an experimental stage where the rules had not hardened, and the feedback loop between publishers and engines was still manageable and easier to test and interpret.
    — Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Each Fernie's Frozen Espresso-tini Bar is artfully drizzled with ribbons of chocolate shell coating, hardening into a delicate, crackable bite, making for the ultimate pick-me-up on a stick!
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of harden
Verb
  • BitOK puts the drop in median time from submission to freeze at 44% on Ethereum and 23% on Tron, and found a same-block urgent mode used in about one case in six.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • For example, make our Blueberry and Cream Cheese Coffee Cake Muffins in the summer orturn a bumper crop of zucchini into Zucchini Bread to be frozen whole or sliced to enjoy in the fall.
    — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of freeze
Verb
  • Roth’s comments solidify Citadel’s presence in New York—with the company verifying the comments made on the call to Fortune—despite the ongoing public spat between its CEO and the city’s mayor.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The contests will solidify November matchups, particularly in Virginia, where Democrats failed to redraw the state’s congressional map earlier this year.
    — Mike Catalini, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of solidify
Verb
  • Across 17 tracks, guitar riffs curdle into sheets of distortion, melodies dissolve into electronic hiss, and grooves are chronically interrupted by fresh rhythmic detours.
    — Arman Khan, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Patriotism rooted in one or the other can curdle into cynicism or nihilism when confronted with evidence that confounds them.
    — Mark Brilliant, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
Definition of curdle
Verb
  • This same rule applies to cake stands, dutch ovens, and other serving pieces.
    — Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 31 July 2026
  • When the rescue team found the cat, its eyes were caked with dust and debris, and after extraction, the feline received hydration and medical care.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Definition of cake

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thick
thicken
thickened
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Cite this Entry

“Thicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thicken. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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