thick

American  

[thik] / θɪk /

adjective

thicker, thickest

1. having relatively great extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thin.

   a thick slice.

2. measured, as specified, between opposite surfaces, from top to bottom, or in a direction perpendicular to that of the length and breadth; (of a solid having three general dimensions) measured across its smallest dimension.

   a board one inch thick.

3. composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., close together; dense: a thick forest.

   a thick fog;

   a thick forest.

4. filled, covered, or abounding (usually followed bywith ).

   tables thick with dust.

5. husky or hoarse; not distinctly articulated.

   The patient's speech is still quite thick.

6. markedly so (as specified).

   a thick German accent.

   Synonyms:

   decided, pronounced, strong

7. deep or profound.

   thick darkness.

8. (of a liquid) heavy or viscous.

   a thick syrup.

9. Informal. close in friendship; intimate.

10. mentally slow; stupid; dull.

11. disagreeably excessive or exaggerated.

    They thought it a bit thick when he called himself a genius.

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adverb

thicker, thickest

1. in a thick manner.

2. close together; closely packed.

   The roses grew thick along the path.

3. in a manner to produce something thick.

   Slice the cheese thick.

noun

1. the thickest, densest, or most crowded part.

   in the thick of the fight.

idioms

1. lay it on thick, to praise excessively; flatter.

   He's laying it on thick because he wants you to do him a favor.

2. through thick and thin, under favorable and unfavorable conditions; steadfastly.

   We have been friends for 20 years, through thick and thin.

thick British  

/ θɪk /

adjective

1. of relatively great extent from one surface to the other; fat, broad, or deep

   a thick slice of bread

2. 1. (postpositive) of specific fatness

      ten centimetres thick

   2. ( in combination )

      a six-inch-thick wall

3. having a relatively dense consistency; not transparent

   thick soup

4. abundantly covered or filled

   a piano thick with dust

5. impenetrable; dense

   a thick fog

6. stupid, slow, or insensitive

   a thick person

7. throaty or badly articulated

   a voice thick with emotion

8. (of accents, etc) pronounced

9. informal very friendly (esp in the phrase thick as thieves )

10. unfair or excessive

11. informal a blow on the ear delivered as punishment, in anger, etc

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adverb

1. in order to produce something thick

   to slice bread thick

2. profusely; in quick succession (esp in the phrase thick and fast )

3. informal

   1. to exaggerate a story, statement, etc

   2. to flatter excessively

noun

1. a thick piece or part

2. the busiest or most intense part

3. in good times and bad

thick More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing thick

• blood is thicker than water
• lay it on thick
• plot thickens
• through thick and thin

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Other Word Forms

• overthick
  adjective
• overthickly
  adverb
• overthickness
  noun
• superthick
  adjective
• thickish
  adjective
• thickly
  adverb
• unthick
  adjective
• unthickly
  adverb
• unthickness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of thick

First recorded before 900; (adjective and adverb) Middle English thikke, Old English thicce; cognate with Dutch dik, German dick; akin to Old Norse thykkr (noun) Middle English, derivative of the adj.

Explanation

When something's thick, it's wide from one side to the other, like a thick piece of French toast or a thick layer of snow on your car. Thick things are broad or bulky or decidedly not thin — think of the thick slab of ice you need in order to skate safely on a lake. Thick can also mean "dense," like a thick chocolate milkshake, or your sister's thick, curly hair. If the kid who sits beside you in math class sees your test grade and calls you thick, it's not a compliment: she means you're not very smart.

Example Sentences

Thick clouds of red dust billow skyward as earthmovers cut roads through the Abujhmad hills of India's central Chhattisgarh state, the last holdout of a nearly 60-year insurgency that has cost 12,000 lives.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

Thick slices of salmon sashimi followed, fatty, delicious goodness that we quickly devoured.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

Thick smoke poured from the upper floors as firefighters deployed 28 engines and about 100 personnel, with dramatic footage showing trapped employees being rescued by aerial ladders.

From BBC • Dec. 9, 2025

Thick smoke filled the stairways and rose above the waterfront development.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

Thick smoke was rising from below, so they hurried upstairs and exited onto the roof.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• broad
• chunky
• fat
• hard
• heavy
• massive
• wide