thin
having relatively little extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thick: thin ice.
of small cross section in comparison with the length; slender: a thin wire.
having little flesh; spare; lean: a thin man.
composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., widely separated; sparse: thin vegetation.
scant; not abundant or plentiful.
of relatively slight consistency or viscosity: thin soup.
rarefied, as air.
without solidity or substance; flimsy: a very thin plot for such a long book.
lacking fullness or volume; weak and shrill: a thin voice.
without force or a sincere effort: a thin smile.
lacking body, richness, or strength: a thin wine.
lacking in chroma; of light tint.
Photography. (of a developed negative) lacking in density or contrast through underdevelopment or underexposure.
in a thin manner.
sparsely; not densely.
so as to produce something thin:Slice the ham thin.
to make thin or thinner (often followed by down, out, etc.).
to become thin or thinner; become reduced or diminished (often followed by down, out, off, etc.): The crowd is thinning out.
Origin of thin
1synonym study For thin
Other words for thin
Other words from thin
- thinly, adverb
- thinness, noun
- o·ver·thin, adjective
- o·ver·thin·ly, adverb
- o·ver·thin·ness, noun
- self-thinning, adjective
- su·per·thin, adjective
- un·thinned, adjective
- un·thin·ning, adjective
Words Nearby thin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use thin in a sentence
I tend to use this method when working with far-too-thin gravies and rich, hearty stews where I’ve probably already used some flour earlier in the cooking process but want to thicken it further.
Sauce, gravy or stew too thin? We’ve got 3 ways to fix that. | Aaron Hutcherson | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostTypically, you’ll find that saving some money means less material, which equals a thinner vest.
Best heated vest: Beat the cold weather with the right winter gear | PopSci Commerce Team | February 9, 2021 | Popular-ScienceOn a rainy street I found a suit, hat and tie, all perfectly placed and slumped on a bench, as if their wearer disappeared into thin air.
‘Little Nightmares II’ made me dread every moment. And I loved it. | Elise Favis | February 9, 2021 | Washington PostThe IRS staff is stretched thin, meaning there could be delays as the agency juggles both tax filings and stimulus payments.
Here’s the new Democratic plan for $1,400 stimulus checks | Heather Long, Jeff Stein | February 5, 2021 | Washington PostTo combat this, most touch screen gloves are designed thinner.
Best winter gloves: Our picks for touch screen gloves, ski gloves, and more | PopSci Commerce Team | February 2, 2021 | Popular-Science
Also, she was tall and thin, too, further adding to the ways she met the physical beauty conventions.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America? | Emily Shire | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“I like decorating my slaves,” she said, referencing the rope, her thin, crimson-coated lips peeling off her front teeth.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau | Ian Frisch | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTCheney is relying on some thin evidence to tie Hussein to al-Qaida.
They were done to give a thin patina of ersatz legitimacy to what is otherwise flagrant sexual assault.
‘Rectal Feeding’ Has Nothing to Do with Nutrition, Everything to Do with Torture | Russell Saunders | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWe had a very thin book that we had to create characters with some different complexity.
‘No Regrets’: Peter Jackson Says Goodbye to Middle-Earth | Alex Suskind | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis has a warm though a thin soil, which must be highly favorable to the Vine to induce so exclusive a devotion to it.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyThe Princess was pale and thin; and, though dressed superbly, seemed fitter for her chamber.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterHer thin and narrow hands held the balcony railing rather tightly.
Bella Donna | Robert HichensHis slight, thin, rather graceless figure seemed suddenly to expand, even to grow taller.
Ancestors | Gertrude AthertonShe saw in the chair a thin, broken figure, a drawn brown face, a wreck of a man.
The Soldier of the Valley | Nelson Lloyd
British Dictionary definitions for thin
/ (θɪn) /
of relatively small extent from one side or surface to the other; fine or narrow
slim or lean
sparsely placed; meagre: thin hair
of relatively low density or viscosity: a thin liquid
weak; poor; insufficient: a thin disguise
(of a photographic negative) having low density, usually insufficient to produce a satisfactory positive
mountaineering a climb or pitch on which the holds are few and small
thin on the ground few in number; scarce
in order to produce something thin: to cut bread thin
to make or become thin or sparse
Origin of thin
1Derived forms of thin
- thinly, adverb
- thinness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with thin
In addition to the idioms beginning with thin
- thin as a rail
- thin edge of the wedge
- thing or two
- things are looking up
- thin on top
also see:
- into thin air
- on thin ice
- spread oneself too thin
- through thick and thin
- wear thin
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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