thawed; thawing; thaws
1
a
: 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
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
Synonyms
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
James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2024
And don't throw those frozen peaches in the microwave to thaw, ever.
—Julia Levy, Southern Living, 29 May 2024
Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 21 June 2024
That response rate could increase as an early winter thaw hits the area.
—Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for thaw 
Verb
Inspectors also found violations including dirt on the ice machine, food on the floor, meat being thawed in standing water and dirty toilets in both the men’s restroom and employee restroom.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2024
And don't throw those frozen peaches in the microwave to thaw, ever.
—Julia Levy, Southern Living, 29 May 2024
Noun
However, leaving the freezer door open for a long time or taking frozen vegetables in and out of the freezer can lead to the freeze/thaw cycles that destroy the quality and nutritional value of frozen produce, according to Mallikarjunan.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 21 June 2024
That response rate could increase as an early winter thaw hits the area.
—Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for thaw
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thaw.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thaw
1 of 2 verb1
: to melt or cause to melt
ice on the pond is thawing
2
: to become free of the effects of cold temperatures by being exposed to warmth
frozen foods thawed before cooking
thaw
2 of 2 noun1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice and snow
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