thaw

[ thaw ]

verb (used without object)

1. to pass or change from a frozen to a liquid or semiliquid state; melt.

   Antonyms: freeze

2. to be freed from the physical effect of frost or extreme cold (sometimes followed by out ):

   Sit by the fire and thaw out.

   Synonyms: warm

3. (of the weather) to become warm enough to melt ice and snow:

   It will probably thaw today.

4. to become less formal, reserved, or aloof:

   He thawed at their kindness.

5. to become less hostile or tense:

   International relations thawed.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to change from a frozen to a liquid or semiliquid state; melt.
2. to free from the physical effect of frost or extreme cold; bring to a more normal temperature, especially to room temperature:

   I took the steaks out of the freezer and thawed them.

3. to make less cold, formal, or reserved.

   Synonyms: warm

4. to make less tense or hostile.

noun

1. the act or process of thawing.
2. the act or fact of becoming less formal, reserved, or aloof.
3. a reduction or easing in tension or hostility.
4. (in winter or in areas where freezing weather is the norm) weather warm enough to melt ice and snow.
5. a period of such weather:

   We had a two-week thaw in January.

6. the thaw, the first day in the year when ice in harbors, rivers, etc., breaks up or loosens enough to begin flowing to the sea, allowing navigation:

   The Anchorage thaw came on May 18th.

thaw

/ θɔː /

verb

1. to melt or cause to melt from a solid frozen state

   the snow thawed

2. to become or cause to become unfrozen; defrost
3. intr to be the case that the ice or snow is melting

   it's thawing fast

4. intr to become more sociable, relaxed, or friendly

noun

1. the act or process of thawing
2. a spell of relatively warm weather, causing snow or ice to melt
3. an increase in relaxation or friendliness

Derived Forms

• ˈthawer, noun
• ˈthawless, adjective

Other Words From

• thawless adjective
• re·thaw verb
• under·thaw verb
• un·thawed adjective
• un·thawing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thaw¹

First recorded before 1000; (verb) Middle English thawen, Old English thawian; cognate with Dutch dooien, Old Norse theyja; (noun) late Middle English, derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of thaw¹

Old English thawian; related to Old High German douwen to thaw, Old Norse theyja to thaw, Latin tabēre to waste away

Synonym Study

See melt ¹.

Example Sentences

The arrival of McDonald’s—an iconic symbol of American capitalism—in the Soviet Union was emblematic of a wider thaw in Soviet-American tensions.

From Time

Instead of a steady trickle of water through spring, this earlier thaw leaves less to flow into rivers and groundwater during increasingly hot, dry summers.

From Popular-Science

Even more significant, though, was that IBM’s triumph felt like a thaw in the long AI winter.

From MIT Technology Review

The fact that there could be an increase in emissions from permafrost thaw or an increase in global sea level rise, it is a global problem, and it needs a global answer.

From Popular-Science

We cannot safely keep up with the accelerating rate of landslide movement caused by permafrost thaw.

From Time

After a half-century of frigid relations, the U.S. and Cuba have agreed to a thaw as the result of 18 months of secret talks.

From The Daily Beast

Everything you need to know about the U.S.-Cuba thaw, from the details of the deal to when you can book your ticket to Havana.

From The Daily Beast

The thaw between Washington and Cuba finally begins to close a chapter of the Cold War.

From The Daily Beast

The issue can be complicated by a thaw followed by a freeze, or by pre-existing ice.

From The Daily Beast

And so the election arrives with no thaw in relations between the Yingluck and Suthep camps.

From The Daily Beast

The beverage warmed him in body; but it would need a butt of it to thaw the misery from his soul.

From Project Gutenberg

But, under the influences of the blind god, the stern student of the "Dairyman's Daughter" seemed to thaw.

From Project Gutenberg

Groups of them come out to the top of the ant-hill to warm and thaw themselves in the rays of the sun.

From Project Gutenberg

Shorty had become nearly frozen sitting there motionless, and he got up and went to the fire to thaw out.

From Project Gutenberg

I trust the sun that shines o'er noble and voluptuous Venice will thaw the ice winter has piled within your brain!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• defrost
• dissolve
• loosen
• melt
• relax
• soften
• warm up