THICKEN Synonyms: 31 Similar and Opposite Words

thicken

verb

Definition of thicken

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 Cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026 Regional rivalries like the Border Showdown and Cy-Hawk Series thicken the air, too. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 After cooking for 10–15 minutes, add flour to thicken the mixture, and pour in the chicken stock, cream, and seasonings. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2026 The cells thicken a patient’s blood, putting them at higher risk for life-threatening heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. — Jason Mast, STAT, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thicken

Recent Examples of Synonyms for thicken

Verb

But one of the positives Glenn highlighted was the defense stiffening in the red zone against Chicago, which went 2 of 7 inside the New York 20-yard line.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Avoiding harsh chemicals like bleach, fabric softeners, and the like will help keep your robe soft and absorbent as these formulas could break down the fabric, leave behind fabric-stiffening residue, or cause pilling and other concerns.

— Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of stiffen

Verb

Under their proposal, the intervening day before a vote to break a filibuster would be eliminated and debate time condensed, removing dead time from the Senate floor.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Just as a still concentrates a large batch of weak liquid into a smaller batch of strong stuff, AI distillation condenses a big model into a smaller one that, ideally, acts like the original.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of condense

Verb

European countries have hardened their stance against Chinese imports over fears that an influx of goods like solar panels and EVs could hollow out the bloc’s industries.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
The incident could further inflame tensions between the Koreas, which have no working military hotlines or other emergency communications channels as North Korea hardens its stance toward Seoul while expanding its military nuclear program.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of harden

Verb

As a result of the layoffs and mass cancellation of contracts in early 2025, millions of NIH websites have been effectively frozen for nearly 18 months.

— Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026
Cuts are planned to come, in part, from freezing wages for public sector workers like teachers.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of freeze

Verb

Three spots have been all but solidified in tackles Samson Okunlola and Matt McCoy as well as center Ryan Rodriguez.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
As the colonies grow, more layers of sediment are trapped and solidified beneath them by biofilms that the organisms produce, causing the whole colony to build upward in layers, like the pages in this book.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of solidify

Verb

But Buddy, the feature debut of Casper Kelly, lets the genre’s relentlessly upbeat tone slowly curdle in the opening sequence, in which one of the kids refuses to play along with day’s lesson about being brave and trying new things.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Yet there is little time for the thought to curdle, because this game is a Monday night maelstrom.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of curdle

Verb

The army has published footage of rescues via helicopter, and of people being pulled out of the hydropower tunnels, completely caked in mud.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Fore says borax can cake up and leave residue behind if it isn’t fully dissolved and rinsed out.

— Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of cake

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thick

thicken

thickened

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“Thicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thicken. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of thicken

verb

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