thaw
verb
\ ˈthȯ
\
\
thawed;
thawing;
thaws
Definition of thaw
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: to go from a frozen to a liquid state : melt
b
: to become free of the effect (such as stiffness, numbness, or hardness) of cold as a result of exposure to warmth
2
: to be warm enough to melt ice and snow
—used with it in reference to the weather
3
: to abandon aloofness, reserve, or hostility : unbend
4
: to become mobile, active, or susceptible to change
: to cause to thaw
thaw
nounDefinition of thaw (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice
the January thaw
3
: the action or process of becoming less aloof, less hostile, or more genial
a thaw in international relations
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Synonyms & Antonyms for thaw
Synonyms: Verb
deliquesce, flux, fuse, liquefy (also liquify), melt, run
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of thaw in a Sentence
Verb
Plant the seeds in early spring as soon as the ground thaws. The sun will soon thaw the snow and ice. The weather is beginning to thaw. Our cold fingers and toes eventually thawed. She held the coffee cup tightly, trying to thaw her frozen fingers.Noun
flooding from the spring thaw a thaw in international relations
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and freeze; pack frozen for the journey and devour when thawed. — Susan Clotfelter, The Know, "Bored with raisins? Try these 5 “fancy” trail mix recipes," 27 Aug. 2019 Use the last few weekends of chilly sweater weather to stay in the confines of your comforter and start thawing out with these tropical movies. — Morgan Baila, refinery29.com, "16 Warm-Weather Movies To Ease You Out Of Hibernation," 20 June 2019 To make: Blend together 4 oz. (1/2 cup) light strawberry yogurt, 1 cup partially thawed frozen strawberries (no sugar added), 1 peeled kiwi, and 1 cup crushed ice (about 6 ice cubes). — Lisa Lillien, Redbook, "4 Better, Slimmer Smoothies You Can Make At Home," 13 July 2017 Note: Dough can be frozen and thawed just before using. 2. — Kim Sunée, Anchorage Daily News, "Celebrate late summer produce with a rustic tomato cheddar galette," 22 Aug. 2019 The September deal was aimed at uniting the flock, regularizing the status of seven bishops who weren’t recognized by Rome and thawing decades of estrangement between China and the Vatican. — Nicole Winfield, The Seattle Times, "Vatican negotiator reveals decades-long path to China deal," 25 Mar. 2019 The study provides experimental support for scientists’ ongoing fears about thawing permafrost. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Small Temperature Bumps Can Cause Big Arctic Methane Burps," 10 July 2019 Construction work could degrade or thaw permafrost, affecting surface wetlands, soils and runoff, the report said. — Larry Persily, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska LNG project could have significant environmental impacts, says draft assessment," 1 July 2019 The scientists would pick up a cooler full of frozen wastewater samples, thaw them, and analyze them using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. — Gene Johnson, BostonGlobe.com, "Gee whiz: Testing of sewage confirms rise in marijuana use," 20 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The exchange was part of a tentative thaw in relations between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s new president. — The Economist, "Ukraine and Russia exchange prisoners in a modest step towards peace," 7 Sep. 2019 And the offer of the pandas was part of a historic thaw in relations. — Michael E. Ruane, Washington Post, "Could pandas get caught in the U.S.-China trade war?," 27 Aug. 2019 Relations between the nations have been strained since and Friday's meeting showed little sign of an upcoming thaw. — Tara John And Zahid Mahmood, CNN, "Photo reveals awkward first meeting between Theresa May and Vladimir Putin since Salisbury poisoning," 28 June 2019 What appeared to be a slight thaw in trade relations between the U.S. and China that had sent markets sharply higher Tuesday was quickly forgotten Wednesday. — Washington Post, "Treasury yields invert, warning of possible recession," 15 Aug. 2019 At least one of the artists is thought to have been educated in Kastoria, now in Greece — a link that Mr. Velkov finds particularly intriguing given the thaw in cross-border relations. — Celestine Bohlen, New York Times, "Macedonians Restore an Ancient Church, With an Eye on the Future," 15 July 2019 By then, something of a thaw between church and state was underway, and the new cardinal sought to work it to the church’s advantage. — New York Times, "Cardinal Jaime Ortega, a Cuban Bridge to the U.S., Dies at 82," 26 July 2019 But with the conclusion this year of the special counsel’s investigation into Russian election interference, there have been signs of a possible approaching thaw in US-Russian relations. — Anton Troianovski, BostonGlobe.com, "Kremlin confirms Putin-Trump meeting at G-20 summit," 26 June 2019 China and Japan have long had rocky relations — but is this a real thaw? — Jiun Bang, Washington Post, "China and Japan now seem on friendlier terms. But is this a real bilateral thaw?," 24 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thaw.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for thaw
thaw
verb
English Language Learners Definition of thaw
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to stop being frozen or to cause (something) to stop being frozen
of weather
: to become warm enough that snow and ice melt
: to return to a normal temperature after being very cold
thaw
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of thaw (Entry 2 of 2)
: a period of weather that is warm enough to melt ice and snow
: a situation in which a relationship becomes more friendly and less angry
See the full definition for thaw in the English Language Learners Dictionary
thaw
verb
\ ˈthȯ
\
\
thawed;
thawing
Kids Definition of thaw
(Entry 1 of 2)