thickening

[thik-uh-ning]

noun

1. a making or becoming thick.

2. a thickened part or area; swelling.

3. something used to thicken; thickener.

thickening

/ ˈθɪkənɪŋ /

noun

1. something added to a liquid to thicken it

2. a thickened part or piece

Word History and Origins

Origin of thickening¹

First recorded in 1570–80; thicken + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

In the new study, the researchers protected the bacteria by enclosing them, along with magnetic particles, inside small droplets of sodium alginate, a thickening ingredient commonly found in foods.

Read more on Science Daily

More of those tiny creatures kept joining the fight, and now a glowing sludge was thickening and hardening around the propellers.

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The team found that visceral fat was consistently associated with plaque buildup and artery wall thickening, while liver fat had a smaller but still important effect.

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These polar "geoengineering" techniques aim to cool the planet in unconventional ways, such as artificially thickening sea-ice or releasing tiny, reflective particles into the atmosphere.

Read more on BBC

They gather shortly after daybreak outside a minimarket, the tropical heat thickening, the dawn haze in lethargic retreat.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

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