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
One standout product included in Amazon's sale is the brand's Flourish Shampoo, specifically designed for thinning hair.
—
Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
On Placerville's outskirts, state and local agencies are already thinning out the dense underbrush as another layer of protection.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
The American Hair Loss Association says two-thirds of American men will experience hair thinning by their mid-30s, and 85% will experience significant hair loss by 50.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Georgia’s most popular beach is thinning and the federal funds to fatten up the shore won’t be coming as scheduled.
—Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Apr. 2026
In contrast, hair loss tends to show up in specific patterns — such as thinning near the temples, a widening hairline, or bald areas near the crown — and happen more gradually.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Three more players, all defensemen, got banged up in the Panthers’ 6-3 win against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena, thinning out an already thin roster that has eight games left on its schedule and is all but mathematically eliminated from making the Stanley Cup playoffs.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Snow drought in the West is thinning snowpack, putting the squeeze on many rivers, including the critical Colorado River.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
By age 35, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of noticeable hair loss and by age 50, approximately 85% of men will have significantly thinning hair, according to the American Hair Loss Association.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
On Placerville's outskirts, state and local agencies are already thinning out the dense underbrush as another layer of protection.
—Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026
The American Hair Loss Association says two-thirds of American men will experience hair thinning by their mid-30s, and 85% will experience significant hair loss by 50.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
Georgia’s most popular beach is thinning and the federal funds to fatten up the shore won’t be coming as scheduled.
—Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 8 Apr. 2026
In contrast, hair loss tends to show up in specific patterns — such as thinning near the temples, a widening hairline, or bald areas near the crown — and happen more gradually.
—Rebecca Strong, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Three more players, all defensemen, got banged up in the Panthers’ 6-3 win against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena, thinning out an already thin roster that has eight games left on its schedule and is all but mathematically eliminated from making the Stanley Cup playoffs.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Snow drought in the West is thinning snowpack, putting the squeeze on many rivers, including the critical Colorado River.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
By age 35, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of noticeable hair loss and by age 50, approximately 85% of men will have significantly thinning hair, according to the American Hair Loss Association.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thinning
Verb
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Ratings often split between broadcasts, diluting the audience rather than expanding it.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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However, hyponatremia, a condition that results from drinking too much water and effectively diluting the sodium content of your blood, can actually be far more dangerous.—
Brad Stulberg,
Outside,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This is an unsustainable path if the state hopes to avoid cutting health, education and other priorities.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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Another option is to remove some of the pups, by cutting under the plants, and gathering the leaves with roots.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If your entire evening is spent on a ball field or on the go, loading food up and taking it with you is another practical option.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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On the day of our visit, the South Korean tanker SK Audace was loading cargo, hooked up to pipes so cold they were covered in a thick layer of frost despite the balmy bayou weather.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Anthropic's showdown with the Pentagon this year left OpenAI looking like the bad guy, and just this week Bloomberg reported that demand is weakening for private shares of OpenAI in the secondary market.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
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But those safeguards appear to be weakening.—
Jennifer Elias,Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thinning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thinning. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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