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
Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 28 July 2025
Now that looks set to finally change as previous fractious relations between the two Asian giants finally begin to thaw.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
The venting allows the attic air to stay cold enough to prevent or minimize the freeze/thaw cycle on the roof.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for thaw
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
For his part, South Korea’s Lee has taken preemptive steps to thaw the frosty status between the countries.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 28 July 2025
Now that looks set to finally change as previous fractious relations between the two Asian giants finally begin to thaw.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
Noun
In a dramatic and high-stakes diplomatic maneuver, the United States and Venezuela have completed a sweeping prisoner exchange that could mark the beginning of a thaw in years of political hostility between the two nations.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 July 2025
The venting allows the attic air to stay cold enough to prevent or minimize the freeze/thaw cycle on the roof.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 July 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 5 Aug. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share