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

If Step 3’s pretextual jury-striking analysis can be skipped in practice and insulated on review, Batson’s promise becomes thinner still.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

Persistent weakness in the currency can negatively impact everything, feeding into higher prices for consumers, lower corporate margins, bigger government deficits and thinner capital flows into the stock market.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

"For one reason or another, we don't see evidence of grounded ridges where they had been forming, and that's the outcome you would expect if the ice is getting thinner."

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

Bayer’s pharma business has been hit in recent quarters by the loss of patent protection of blood thinner Xarelto and eye medicine Eylea.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

It was about as long as her index finger, and slightly thinner than a pencil.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

Related Words

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