as in diluting
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
thinned the cream with milk but didn't tell anyone
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Recent Examples of thinning
The wet-look bob By scraping hair away from the face and gathering it at the back of the head, a slick wet-look bob is a chic way to disguise thinning hair.
—
Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
China’s leveling playing field Beyond seasonality, BYD’s thinning lead in domestic sales suggests a leveling in China’s EV playing field, as offerings from its competitors grow increasingly appealing to consumers.
—Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
That warmer water melts ice from below, thinning floating shelves and weakening their ability to buttress the glaciers behind them.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Of the city’s more than 700 hotels, more than 300 are smaller, select-service or three-star properties, the very segment most likely to see declining rates and thinning margins as the World Cup nears.
—Vijay Dandapani, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
Women are at higher risk of stroke with the rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation than men, but women receive less blood-thinning and rhythm-control treatment than men.
—Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 25 Feb. 2026
With a thinning prospect pool, Nill may not be willing to part ways with his 2027 or 2029 first-round picks unless a deal too good to pass up arises.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
Organic gardener Sumyati Kashyapi says one common mistake is planting the seeds too densely, and not thinning properly after germination.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
Shoppers with thinning hair rave about the BosleyMD's BosRevive Nourishing Shampoo for thickening their locks.
—Rachel Nussbaum, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
China’s leveling playing field Beyond seasonality, BYD’s thinning lead in domestic sales suggests a leveling in China’s EV playing field, as offerings from its competitors grow increasingly appealing to consumers.
—Matthew Chin,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
That warmer water melts ice from below, thinning floating shelves and weakening their ability to buttress the glaciers behind them.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Of the city’s more than 700 hotels, more than 300 are smaller, select-service or three-star properties, the very segment most likely to see declining rates and thinning margins as the World Cup nears.
—Vijay Dandapani, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026
Women are at higher risk of stroke with the rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation than men, but women receive less blood-thinning and rhythm-control treatment than men.
—Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 25 Feb. 2026
With a thinning prospect pool, Nill may not be willing to part ways with his 2027 or 2029 first-round picks unless a deal too good to pass up arises.
—Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 23 Feb. 2026
Organic gardener Sumyati Kashyapi says one common mistake is planting the seeds too densely, and not thinning properly after germination.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 22 Feb. 2026
Shoppers with thinning hair rave about the BosleyMD's BosRevive Nourishing Shampoo for thickening their locks.
—Rachel Nussbaum, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thinning
Verb
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Try diluting it with water if the taste is too much for you.—
Jamie Johnson,
Verywell Health,
9 Mar. 2026
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There was also a miscommunication in the box that let Tim Ream let a ball go instead of attacking it; there was also a rare bad touch by Biel diluting his chance at a clear 1-on-1 with the Austin FC goalkeeper.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After cutting direct military aid to Ukraine last year, Washington even reached out to Kyiv for its expertise in countering Iranian drones, which Russia uses to attack it.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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During one spurt, the freshman put up eight points in less than four minutes, cutting UCLA’s lead to 11.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Aramco has been redirecting oil cargoes to Red Sea facilities on Saudi Arabia’s west coast to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, with eight supertankers loading from the area this month.—
Christine Burke,
Bloomberg,
8 Mar. 2026
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Yes, blueberries are great, but the key isn’t loading up on a single fruit.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That hasn’t happened, and attacks continue to fly, potentially weakening the eventual GOP nominee.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Bank of England officials will now have to weigh the risks of weakening demand in the UK economy, against surging oil and gas prices.—
Irina Anghel,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thinning. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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