thawed; thawing; thaws
1
a
: to go from a frozen to a liquid state : melt
b
: to become free of the effect (such as stiffness, numbness, or hardness) of cold as a result of exposure to warmth
2
: to be warm enough to melt ice and snow
—used with it in reference to the weather
3
: to abandon aloofness, reserve, or hostility : unbend
4
: to become mobile, active, or susceptible to change
: to cause to thaw
1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice
the January thaw
3
: the action or process of becoming less aloof, less hostile, or more genial
a thaw in international relations
Examples of thaw in a Sentence
Verb
Plant the seeds in early spring as soon as the ground thaws.
The sun will soon thaw the snow and ice.
The weather is beginning to thaw.
Our cold fingers and toes eventually thawed.
She held the coffee cup tightly, trying to thaw her frozen fingers.
Noun
flooding from the spring thaw
a thaw in international relations
Recent Examples on the Web
TIME, 8 Mar. 2025
Gradually, the relationship thawed, but Lisa was still caught off guard when her husband offered to adopt the 11-year-old.
—Ronnie Li, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
Reuters, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
February brought a thaw to what had been a chilly start of the year for metro Denver’s housing market, with more homes listed, more homes going under contract and more sales completed, according to an update Wednesday from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
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Verb
Trump’s actions also thawed relations with Canada somewhat, although outrage and uncertainty over the trade war remains.
—TIME, 8 Mar. 2025
Gradually, the relationship thawed, but Lisa was still caught off guard when her husband offered to adopt the 11-year-old.
—Ronnie Li, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
The six-hour meeting in Istanbul last Thursday, where the delegations worked to try to restore the normal functioning of their embassies after years of tit-for-tat expulsions, was the latest sign of a thaw between the two countries.
—Reuters, NBC News, 6 Mar. 2025
February brought a thaw to what had been a chilly start of the year for metro Denver’s housing market, with more homes listed, more homes going under contract and more sales completed, according to an update Wednesday from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors.
—Aldo Svaldi, The Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Articles Related to thaw
Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
thaw
1 of 2 verb1
: to melt or cause to melt
ice on the pond is thawing
2
: to become free of the effects of cold temperatures by being exposed to warmth
frozen foods thawed before cooking
thaw
2 of 2 noun1
: the action, fact, or process of thawing
2
: a period of weather warm enough to thaw ice and snow
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