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Synonyms

thickening

American  
[thik-uh-ning] / ˈθɪk ə nɪŋ /

noun

  1. a making or becoming thick.

  2. a thickened part or area; swelling.

  3. something used to thicken; thickener.


thickening British  
/ ˈθɪkənɪŋ /

noun

  1. something added to a liquid to thicken it

  2. a thickened part or piece

"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

Etymology

Origin of thickening

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


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

For hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—the thickening of heart muscles—it was 56 steps.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026

The process relies on carefully controlled streams of thyme extract, gelatin, sodium alginate -- a commonly used thickening agent in the food industry -- and oil.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 17, 2026

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.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2025

For a time she carried these letters in her book bag, to her classes, thickening her agenda.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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