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
Take it to semiannual and quoting their shares becomes guesswork; spreads widen, depth thins, and some market makers simply step away.
—
Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Instead a galaxy’s distribution of stars thins out farther from the center.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
Refilling the rotation thins out the bullpen, which usually has to cover more innings after lesser starters, and all of those daily workload decisions compound.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 20 May 2026
In a traditional Japanese handle, a wa-style handle, the tang thins out into a strip of metal that’s completely buried in a cylindrical or octagonal wood handle.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
Steam thins mucus and eases congestion, per the same PMC/NIH trial.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Over time, the canopy thins, the leaves crinkle, and the tree slowly dies.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
When pothos stems become too long, the plant thins out.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
From there, Sharrow thins down its propeller to precise specification with a five-axis CNC machine and polishes it.
—New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026
Shivaram Rajgopal, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Instead a galaxy’s distribution of stars thins out farther from the center.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
Refilling the rotation thins out the bullpen, which usually has to cover more innings after lesser starters, and all of those daily workload decisions compound.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 20 May 2026
In a traditional Japanese handle, a wa-style handle, the tang thins out into a strip of metal that’s completely buried in a cylindrical or octagonal wood handle.
—Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
Steam thins mucus and eases congestion, per the same PMC/NIH trial.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
Over time, the canopy thins, the leaves crinkle, and the tree slowly dies.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
When pothos stems become too long, the plant thins out.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026
From there, Sharrow thins down its propeller to precise specification with a five-axis CNC machine and polishes it.
—New Atlas, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thins
Verb
-
Among other changes, the new law dilutes some of the influence the mayor of Chicago has over the executive appointment process at the CTA, which has been led for more than a year by an acting president, Nora Leerhsen.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
While most vegetables contain 80 to 90 percent water, overwatering adds too much moisture and dilutes the flavor of the harvest.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
This is the information that loads the dice for our simulations.—
Achim Zeileis,
The Conversation,
9 June 2026
-
The borrowing is heavily long-dated, reflecting the multi-decade life the companies assign to their data centers, which loads more interest-rate sensitivity onto buyers at a time when the direction of rates is unsettled.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
Restricting those channels weakens influence competitors have struggled to match.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
-
Iran’s government warned that any division at home over the deal weakens its negotiating position, and that those criticizing negotiators are taking aim at a national decision.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Quantum exposure cuts across data, supplier contracts, capital allocation, customer commitments, regulatory adequacy and board appetite.—
Maman Ibrahim,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
For instance, its strategic partner Cone Denim is only a five-minute drive from Parras, and the group ensures that textiles are available by pre-booking and reserving fabrics, which cuts six to eight weeks out of the process.—
SJ Studio,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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While the Andes hantavirus infects a few dozen people every year in the Patagonian region of Argentina further north, it has never been detected in Ushuaia or the wider archipelago of Tierra del Fuego.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 June 2026
-
Powdery mildew fungi are host-specific, meaning each fungal species only infects specific plant species.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
25 May 2026
Verb
-
Unless the energy powering data centers comes from clean energy sources, such as solar, wind or geothermal, generating that electricity also pollutes the air.—
Ed Maibach,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
-
Meanwhile, the unceasing churn of clothing, footwear and accessories depletes soils, poisons the water, pollutes the air, drives deforestation, accelerates biodiversity loss and generates runaway planet-warming emissions that undermine brands’ lofty environmental ambitions.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thins. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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