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
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Recent Examples of thins
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
Chloe thins only once, before seedlings are growing into each other, sometime between the first and third set of true leaves.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Aim for a balanced appearance that thins out crowded canopy areas and allows light to reach the inner branches.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
Representation thins and drifts toward the extremes, and public confidence in Congress as an accountable institution erodes along with it.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Barnes’ defection further thins a group of linebackers that is losing three key contributors from 2025 in Trey Moore, Liona Lefau and Anthony Hill Jr.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
Another prospect is that not all of the cuts materialize — say, the trash fee repeal doesn’t happen — or the field of tax increases thins out, making those that remain more palatable to voters.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Near-term oversight is likely to fall to Abel with support from Ted Weschler, one of Berkshire's remaining investment managers, but that structure could face scrutiny if the investment bench thins further, according to CFRA's Cathy Seifert.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Meetings stay calm, but the substance thins.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Chloe thins only once, before seedlings are growing into each other, sometime between the first and third set of true leaves.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Aim for a balanced appearance that thins out crowded canopy areas and allows light to reach the inner branches.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
Representation thins and drifts toward the extremes, and public confidence in Congress as an accountable institution erodes along with it.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Barnes’ defection further thins a group of linebackers that is losing three key contributors from 2025 in Trey Moore, Liona Lefau and Anthony Hill Jr.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
Another prospect is that not all of the cuts materialize — say, the trash fee repeal doesn’t happen — or the field of tax increases thins out, making those that remain more palatable to voters.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Near-term oversight is likely to fall to Abel with support from Ted Weschler, one of Berkshire's remaining investment managers, but that structure could face scrutiny if the investment bench thins further, according to CFRA's Cathy Seifert.
—Yun Li, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thins
Verb
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The judge said one district dilutes the votes of Blacks and Latinos.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Democrats have pointed to these facts as evidence that the map dilutes the voting power of minorities and may even be an intentional racial gerrymander.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
And the carne asada fries loads shredded cheese and carne asada onto a bed of french fries, topped with two salsas, sour cream, cilantro and onions.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Attackers can hide instructions inside that address and make Copilot execute them as soon as the page loads.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When CEOs treat financial advice as a substitute for judgment, leadership starts to erode, decisions slow down, and conviction weakens.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Trump’s focus on the Western Hemisphere — as a show of might that weakens China’s geostrategic influence, Nikkei wrote.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If the Fed cuts its short-term rate too aggressively and is seen as doing so for political reasons, then Wall Street investors could sell Treasury bonds out of fear that inflation would rise.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
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The move effectively cuts the island off from key fuel sources and, according to community members, could worsen an already fragile humanitarian situation.—
Marybel Rodriguez,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Listeria infects approximately 1,250 people in the United States annually, by CDC estimate, and kills about 172.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Jan. 2026
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Listeria infects about 1,600 people each year, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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For example, forum participants said a person could sue a company or entity that pollutes a river because the river has the right to be pollution-free.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thins. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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