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 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 This two-in-one shampoo and conditioner set is rich in rice protein, vitamin B, and vitamin C to strengthen and thicken the hair shaft, while nourishing the scalp. — Tessa Petak, InStyle, 4 July 2026 For decades, celebrity chefs have been urging us to reserve the starchy water that remains after cooking pasta to help gently thicken and bring the pasta sauce together. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 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
  • Graham's aorta, at 71, tore, a dissection along a wall stiffened by decades of what the medical examiner called arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
    — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • Group 1 is pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and severe version that occurs when blood vessels in the lungs narrow and stiffen.
    — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 26 June 2026
Definition of stiffen
Verb
  • Tasks like creating content, writing code, building dashboards, creating KPIs or sifting through data to condense and spot trends can now be done in record time.
    — Hanneke Antonelli, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • Their accounts below have been translated from Cantonese and condensed and edited for clarity.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of condense
Verb
  • If frozen for longer than 10 minutes, the roll-up will lose its crunchy texture and will harden.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026
  • If cold from the fridge, your butter will seize and harden, shellacking the slices in a thick coating instead of a light sheen.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 July 2026
Definition of harden
Verb
  • The operator allegedly made more than $90,000 in profits on the trades, although most of that money was frozen by Kalshi after the bets were flagged as suspicious.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has been capturing some of the Red Planet's most surreal landscapes, and its latest images reveal a sprawling field that looks like molten metal frozen across the floor of an ancient Mars crater.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of freeze
Verb
  • An offseason conversation with Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes helped Skubal solidify his decision to play in the WBC.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The first Top Gun movie in 1986 helped solidify Tom Cruise as a box office draw, grossing nearly $364 million worldwide.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of solidify
Verb
  • 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
  • But if and when that dress turns out to be just one of the outfits for a documentary that goes to the highest bidder, the wedding good vibes will curdle just a little.
    — Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of curdle
Verb
  • Turn cake out onto rack and carefully peel away parchment; discard.
    — Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
  • Invert cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 24 June 2026
Definition of cake

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Cite this Entry

“Thicken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thicken. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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