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
Sylvan Lebrun, Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Is your turkey thawed, prepped and ready to pop in the oven?
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 24 Nov. 2024
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024
Seven months later, in May 1997, after the spring thaw, a volunteer who was setting up a navigation course for park rangers found skeletal remains at the community building in the old Longmire campground, about a mile from the inn.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for thaw 
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Verb
The safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is to place it in the refrigerator, which takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds of meat, according to IDPH.
—Sylvan Lebrun, Chicago Tribune, 25 Nov. 2024
Is your turkey thawed, prepped and ready to pop in the oven?
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 24 Nov. 2024
Noun
The amount of frozen seawater fluctuates during the year as the ice thaws and regrows between seasons, according to NASA’s Earth Observatory.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024
Seven months later, in May 1997, after the spring thaw, a volunteer who was setting up a navigation course for park rangers found skeletal remains at the community building in the old Longmire campground, about a mile from the inn.
—Graham Averill, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for thaw
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Dictionary Entries Near thaw
Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 30 Nov. 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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