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
That thinning prospect pool means there are fewer forwards to pull from, too.
—
The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2025
As with most health concerns in menopause, hormones play a role in why your hair may be thinning during this phase of life.
—Korin Miller, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
October can be the sweet spot with color still lingering in the lower elevations and crowds thinning all over the park.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
Guevara stood on the sidewalk with other journalists until a police line began moving toward a thinning crowd of protesters.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Far from thinning out, the crowds grew denser as the hours passed, borne toward the Piazza Maggiore, the main square of the city’s historic center, as if on a tide.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Those using other blood-thinning agents or alcohol should use aspirin with caution, experts advise.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle takes it one step further, creating a paddle brush that’s delicate enough for thinning and damaged strands.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
In addition, mid-level positions are vulnerable as organizations flatten, thinning middle management ranks.
—Ulrik Juul Christensen, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2025
As with most health concerns in menopause, hormones play a role in why your hair may be thinning during this phase of life.
—Korin Miller, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
October can be the sweet spot with color still lingering in the lower elevations and crowds thinning all over the park.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
Guevara stood on the sidewalk with other journalists until a police line began moving toward a thinning crowd of protesters.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Far from thinning out, the crowds grew denser as the hours passed, borne toward the Piazza Maggiore, the main square of the city’s historic center, as if on a tide.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Those using other blood-thinning agents or alcohol should use aspirin with caution, experts advise.
—Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The Ultimate Detangler Extra Gentle takes it one step further, creating a paddle brush that’s delicate enough for thinning and damaged strands.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
In addition, mid-level positions are vulnerable as organizations flatten, thinning middle management ranks.
—Ulrik Juul Christensen, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thinning
Verb
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The 2024 European Parliament elections strengthened far-right blocs and pushed the centre-right toward diluting elements of the Green Deal, reframing climate rules as sovereignty or competitiveness threats and amplifying cost-of-living and farmer-protest narratives.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Cleaver's Fifth District, which encompasses much of Kansas City, will be split across three different districts, diluting Democratic voting strength by incorporating Republican-leaning rural areas.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Little River Canyon National Preserve introduces visitors to a magnificent gorge that was created by the Little River cutting across the top of Lookout Mountain.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
The trial was designed to appeal to cash-conscious customers, who’ve been cutting eating out from their budgets, hurting restaurants’ profits.—
Jordan Valinsky,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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First steps in that process occurred last week, when the Chokai practiced loading dummy Tomahawk munitions into its vertical launch cells.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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In two of them — July 17, 2005, and July 5, 2008 — the Red Sox actually scored a run before loading the bases … and before Mariano Rivera then escaped all that trouble.—
Jayson Stark,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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If the economy is not weakening, but strengthening, the outlook for inflation could tilt higher.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
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Equal-weight consumer discretionary has been under a bit of pressure, with restaurant and travel names weakening, and is now clearly underperforming the broad market on a one-year basis.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thinning. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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