Word
thicken
Phoneticsthick·en, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈθɪkən/
UK/θˈɪkən/
Definition
v. to become more solid or dense. You use this when a liquid like soup or sauce gets thicker as it cooks or when a person's voice changes.
v. to become more dense, viscous, or compact in texture. Often describes the physical change of a liquid or the vocal change in a person's voice.
Examples
“The soup will thicken as it cools down.”
“The chef added a bit of flour to the sauce to help it thicken and coat the pasta better.”
“As the storm approached, the atmosphere began to thicken with a sense of impending danger, making the air feel heavy and oppressive to the hikers.”
Examples
simple
“The soup will thicken as it cools down.”
contextual
“The chef added a bit of flour to the sauce to help it thicken and coat the pasta better.”
complex
“As the storm approached, the atmosphere began to thicken with a sense of impending danger, making the air feel heavy and oppressive to the hikers.”
Real-World Examples
“Allow to simmer for about an hour until the sauce thickens.” “Let the sauce boil and thicken (add more corn flour if you want it thicker).” “When the mayonnaise emulsifies and starts to thicken, you can add the oil in a thin stream, instead of drop by drop.” “A spoonful of tomato paste helps thicken the sauce.” Etymology
From Middle English thickenen, thikkenen, perhaps from Old Norse þykkna (“to thicken”); equivalent to thick + -en. Cognate with Swedish tjockna (“to thicken”), Icelandic þykkna (“to thicken”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/thicken