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 byout ).

   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

Other Word Forms

• thawless adjective
• rethaw verb
• underthaw verb
• unthawed adjective
• unthawing adjective
• thawer noun

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

Eleven days later, Richard Nixon arrived in China to see if Mao Zedong was up for a thaw.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Babushkawoos fussed and complained, and Boris went so far as yelling, “Art is dumb,” whereupon Penelope gave him a look that could have thawed Siberia.

Read more on Literature

Then I would go inside, thaw off, and help Mama put dinner on the table.

Read more on Literature

This would be his crowning achievement—a thawing of Cold War tensions.

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These days, the soil would thaw by midsummer, and Roz left behind a trail of deep footprints in the spongy, soggy ground.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

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