Word
thin
US/ˈθɪn/
UK/θˈɪn/
Definitions
01not thick
adj. having a small distance between two sides; not thick.
adj. having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite.
“The ice on the lake is too thin to walk on safely.”
“The artisan used a thin blade to carve the intricate patterns into the delicate wooden box.”
Antonyms
02body weight
adj. having little fat on the body.
adj. having little body fat or flesh; lean or slender in build.
“He became very thin after being sick for two weeks.”
“The marathon runner had a thin, wiry frame that was perfectly suited for long-distance endurance.”
Pitfall
She is very thin, she looks beautiful.
She is very slim, she looks beautiful.
'Thin' can sometimes sound negative or unhealthy; 'slim' is usually a compliment.
Antonyms
03liquid or air
adj. flowing easily like water; not thick or sticky.
adj. of low viscosity or density; lacking substance or volume.
“The air is very thin at the top of the mountain.”
“The sauce was too thin, so the chef decided to simmer it for another ten minutes to reduce the liquid.”
04not crowded
adj. having only a few people or things in a large space.
adj. distributed at wide intervals; not dense or crowded.
“The crowd at the stadium was thin because of the heavy rain.”
“Vegetation becomes thin as you move further into the desert, with only a few hardy shrubs surviving the heat.”
05to make less dense
v. to make something thinner or to reduce the number of things in a group.
v. to make or become thin or thinner in consistency or density; often used with 'out'.
“You should thin the carrots so the remaining ones have room to grow.”
“The traffic began to thin out after the morning rush hour ended and the commuters reached their offices.”
Usage
Often used as the phrasal verb 'thin out' when referring to crowds or plants.
Antonyms
06in a thin way
adv. in a way that is not thick.
adv. in a scattered or sparse manner; not thickly.
“Spread the butter thin on the toast so it is not too greasy.”
“The paint was applied so thin that the grain of the wood was still visible underneath.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Word family
Idioms
have a thin time of it — To be in a difficult or precarious situation due to one not having enough money.
on thin ice — Dangerously, hazardously, delicately.
out of thin air — From nowhere or nothing; from a non-existent or unknown source.
skate on thin ice — To be (or to place oneself) in a risky, potentially dangerous or delicate situation.
spread oneself thin — To commit oneself to too many projects, so that there is little chance of completing them all satisfactorily.
thick and thin — Both good and bad times.
thin air — An unknown location; (by extension) apparent disappearance or nonexistence.
thin end of the wedge — Something that if allowed or accepted to a small degree would lead to systematic encroachment.
thin the herd — to cull, to reduce the size of a group
through thick and thin — Through all (especially grim, rough and difficult) conditions; in all weathers.
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wear thin — To lessen or weaken over time, as from overuse.
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englishreference.com/q/thin