as in dilutes
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
thinned the cream with milk but didn't tell anyone
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Recent Examples of thins
Civic life thins out because exhaustion replaces engagement.
—
Christopher Bellingham, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Just an hour later, the traffic thins and the road dissolves into the Agafay Desert.
—Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Meetings stay calm, but the substance thins.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Chloe thins only once, before seedlings are growing into each other, sometime between the first and third set of true leaves.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Aim for a balanced appearance that thins out crowded canopy areas and allows light to reach the inner branches.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
Representation thins and drifts toward the extremes, and public confidence in Congress as an accountable institution erodes along with it.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Barnes’ defection further thins a group of linebackers that is losing three key contributors from 2025 in Trey Moore, Liona Lefau and Anthony Hill Jr.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
Another prospect is that not all of the cuts materialize — say, the trash fee repeal doesn’t happen — or the field of tax increases thins out, making those that remain more palatable to voters.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Christopher Bellingham, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2026
Just an hour later, the traffic thins and the road dissolves into the Agafay Desert.
—Fergus Scholes, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026
Meetings stay calm, but the substance thins.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Chloe thins only once, before seedlings are growing into each other, sometime between the first and third set of true leaves.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Aim for a balanced appearance that thins out crowded canopy areas and allows light to reach the inner branches.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
Representation thins and drifts toward the extremes, and public confidence in Congress as an accountable institution erodes along with it.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
Barnes’ defection further thins a group of linebackers that is losing three key contributors from 2025 in Trey Moore, Liona Lefau and Anthony Hill Jr.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
Another prospect is that not all of the cuts materialize — say, the trash fee repeal doesn’t happen — or the field of tax increases thins out, making those that remain more palatable to voters.
—Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thins
Verb
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Emma Basch, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, agrees, expressing concern that tying self-care to allowance dilutes the concept and does not help kids internalize that caring for themselves is not a job they will ever be paid for, but a way of showing themselves respect and care.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
7 Feb. 2026
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The judge said one district dilutes the votes of Blacks and Latinos.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And the carne asada fries loads shredded cheese and carne asada onto a bed of french fries, topped with two salsas, sour cream, cilantro and onions.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Attackers can hide instructions inside that address and make Copilot execute them as soon as the page loads.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When the vortex weakens, that tight circle becomes wavier, akin to how a slow-moving river tends to meander in bends across the landscape, Swain says.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
9 Feb. 2026
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In contrast to conventional recycling, which weakens fibers and limits how they can be reused, Uplift360’s non-degenerative method produces material that can go straight back into high-performance supply chains.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The commercial humorously cuts to everyday viewers — who might as well be analogs for us on the couch — enraptured by Spears' girl-next-door effervescence.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
-
GoldZone, at this moment, cuts to commercial seconds before the final throw.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Measles is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by a virus that infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body.—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Lung, stomach and cervical cancers accounted for nearly half of the cases that were linked to modifiable risks, with many linked to viruses and bacteria like the human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori (a common bacterium that infects the stomach lining).—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For example, forum participants said a person could sue a company or entity that pollutes a river because the river has the right to be pollution-free.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thins. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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