thinner

¹ American  

[thin-er] / ˈθɪn ər /

noun

1. a volatile liquid, as turpentine, used to dilute paint, varnish, rubber cement, etc., to the desired or proper consistency.

2. a person who adds thinners to paints, varnishes, etc.

3. a person who specializes in weeding plants, pruning shrubbery, thinning fruit, etc.

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thinner ² American  

[thin-er] / ˈθɪn ər /

adjective

1. comparative of thin.

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thinner British  

/ ˈθɪnə /

noun

1. (often plural, functioning as singular) a solvent, such as turpentine, added to paint or varnish to dilute it, reduce its opacity or viscosity, or increase its penetration into the ground

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Etymology

Origin of thinner

First recorded in 1825–35; thin + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The corollary is lower sales, thinner margins and smaller corporate profits.

From Barron's

At that point, liquidity would be running thinner, he said, and it would take less momentum “to push prices up as it would on any other trading day.”

From Barron's

Higher costs can be particularly challenging for small businesses, which typically have thinner profit margins than big companies and fewer ways to offset higher expenses.

From The Wall Street Journal

Koh felt humiliated if his envelope was thinner than the others.

From The Wall Street Journal

For smaller smartphone makers with thinner profit margins, the uptick in memory costs shatters the notion that component costs fall over time.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• delicate
• fragile
• gaunt
• lean
• meager
• narrow
• skinny
• slim
• small