as in dilutes
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 thins
The Rangers will need to carry Baumler on the major league roster for the entire season, or send him back to the Baltimore Orioles, which thins some of their flexibility.
—
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
And over time, the barrage will likely become less effective and more deadly to civilians – as the target list thins out and the items the Americans and Israelis need to hit become more enmeshed in civilian life.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Anyone who's on an anticoagulant, anything that thins your blood or prevents you from having a blood clot, should talk with a pharmacist or healthcare provider first to double-check which supplements interact with those types of medications.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 10 Mar. 2026
When that experience fades, meaning thins out.
—Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Cut overgrown stems back to a branch or stem rather than shearing the shrub, which thins out the interior.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
Civic life thins out because exhaustion replaces engagement.
—Christopher Bellingham, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Just an hour later, the traffic thins and the road dissolves into the Agafay Desert.
—Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Meetings stay calm, but the substance thins.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026
And over time, the barrage will likely become less effective and more deadly to civilians – as the target list thins out and the items the Americans and Israelis need to hit become more enmeshed in civilian life.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
Anyone who's on an anticoagulant, anything that thins your blood or prevents you from having a blood clot, should talk with a pharmacist or healthcare provider first to double-check which supplements interact with those types of medications.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 10 Mar. 2026
When that experience fades, meaning thins out.
—Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Cut overgrown stems back to a branch or stem rather than shearing the shrub, which thins out the interior.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
Civic life thins out because exhaustion replaces engagement.
—Christopher Bellingham, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Just an hour later, the traffic thins and the road dissolves into the Agafay Desert.
—Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Meetings stay calm, but the substance thins.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thins
Verb
-
But as the Universe keeps on expanding, the spatial curvature still dilutes, the same way that a small Pringles chip has a greater amount of curvature than a large horse’s saddle.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
-
No measurable impact on marine life or the local environment was detected, as the radioactive material dilutes rapidly in seawater.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The island, where Iran loads nearly all its oil exports, is seen as a potential target if Washington decides to hit Iranian energy or to use ground troops to seize it.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
-
While trees — oak, birch, maple — dominate early spring, grass pollen often overlaps in late spring from May to June, leading to higher, more intense allergy loads for sufferers.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Justice delayed weakens deterrence.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But the core allegation cuts deeper than fees.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The vote, on a proposal that requires a driver’s license or comparable ID to cast a ballot in federal elections, represents the latest attempt by Republicans to divide Democrats on a subject that cuts decidedly in their favor.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The former is caused by bacteria that infects the protective lining of the brain and spinal cord, which can lead to inflammation.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Mumps infects the salivary glands below the ears.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Fertilizer runoff pollutes water sources and fuels toxic algae blooms.—
Frank Morris,
NPR,
26 Mar. 2026
-
As my colleague Iris Kwok explains, that’s due to the state’s higher taxes and stricter requirements for cleaner, more expensive gas that pollutes.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thins. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
