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
Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
But with Putin’s announcement, weeks of what appeared to be Trump’s thawing relations with Zelensky and impatience with Moscow are once again in question.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 12 May 2025
Leily Nikounazar, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Word earlier this week that top U.S. and Chinese officials would meet this weekend on neutral ground was seen as a welcome thaw.
—Ben Berkowitz, Axios, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
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Verb
The 2018 deal was aimed at uniting the flock, regularizing the status of seven bishops who weren’t recognized by Rome and thawing decades of estrangement between China and the Vatican.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2025
But with Putin’s announcement, weeks of what appeared to be Trump’s thawing relations with Zelensky and impatience with Moscow are once again in question.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 12 May 2025
Noun
There were signs of a thaw between the neighboring countries last month.
—Leily Nikounazar, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Word earlier this week that top U.S. and Chinese officials would meet this weekend on neutral ground was seen as a welcome thaw.
—Ben Berkowitz, Axios, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Cite this Entry
“Thaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thaw. Accessed 6 Jun. 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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