View synonyms for thin

thin

[ thin ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

thinner, thinnest.

having relatively little extent from one surface or side to the opposite; not thick:
thin ice.
of small cross section in comparison with the length; slender:
a thin wire.
having little flesh; spare; lean:
a thin man.
Synonyms: scrawny, lank, skinny, slender, slim
composed of or containing objects, particles, etc., widely separated; sparse:
thin vegetation.
scant; not abundant or plentiful.
Synonyms: meager
of relatively slight consistency or viscosity:
thin soup.
rarefied, as air.
without solidity or substance; flimsy:
a very thin plot for such a long book.
Synonyms: weak
lacking fullness or volume; weak and shrill:
a thin voice.
without force or a sincere effort:
a thin smile.
lacking body, richness, or strength:
a thin wine.
lacking in chroma; of light tint.
Photography. (of a developed negative) lacking in density or contrast through underdevelopment or underexposure.

adverb

in a thin manner.
sparsely; not densely.
so as to produce something thin:
Slice the ham thin.

verb (used with object)

thinned, thinning.

to make thin or thinner (often followed by down, out, etc.).

verb (used without object)

thinned, thinning.

to become thin or thinner; become reduced or diminished (often followed by down, out, off, etc.):
The crowd is thinning out.

thin

/ θɪn /

adjective

of relatively small extent from one side or surface to the other; fine or narrow
slim or lean
sparsely placed; meagre
thin hair
of relatively low density or viscosity
a thin liquid
weak; poor; insufficient
a thin disguise
(of a photographic negative) having low density, usually insufficient to produce a satisfactory positive
mountaineering a climb or pitch on which the holds are few and small
thin on the ground
few in number; scarce

adverb

in order to produce something thin
to cut bread thin

verb

to make or become thin or sparse

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Derived Forms

ˈthinly, adverb
ˈthinness, noun

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Other Words From

thinly adverb
thinness noun
over·thin adjective
over·thinly adverb
over·thinness noun
self-thinning adjective
super·thin adjective
un·thinned adjective
un·thinning adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of thin¹

First recorded before 900; (adjective and adverb) Middle English thyn(ne), Old English thynne; cognate with Dutch dun, German dünn, Old Norse thunnr; (verb) Middle English thynnen, Old English thynnian, derivative of the adjective; compare Middle Dutch dunnen, Old Norse thynna; akin to Old Irish tana, Latin tenuis thin, Greek tany- long

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Word History and Origins

Origin of thin¹

Old English thynne; related to Old Frisian thenne, Old Saxon, Old High German thunni, Old Norse thunnr, Latin tenuis thin, Greek teinein to stretch

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Idioms and Phrases

into thin air
on thin ice
spread oneself too thin
through thick and thin
wear thin

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Synonym Study

Thin, gaunt, lean, spare agree in referring to one having little flesh. Thin applies often to one in an unnaturally reduced state, as from sickness, overwork, lack of food, or the like: a thin, dirty little waif. Gaunt suggests the angularity of bones prominently displayed in a thin face and body: to look ill and gaunt. Lean usually applies to a person or animal that is naturally thin: looking lean but healthy after an outdoor vacation. Spare implies a muscular leanness with no diminution of vitality: Lincoln was spare in body.

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Example Sentences

Marrone has repeatedly said that fire crews were overwhelmed by the scale and ferocity of the conflagration, as firefighters were spread thin battling three different blazes across the county.

From Los Angeles Times

He was initially rejected by clubs like Internacional and Gremio because they considered him too thin and lightweight for professional football.

From BBC

The namesake burger was the pinnacle of my burger experience at that time: two thin, perfectly charred beef patties, housemade American cheese, a special sauce, crisp pickles and a beef tallow-toasted sesame bun.

From Salon

"The process is the punishment – the cases are no more than a thin excuse to keep him in jail."

From BBC

By the end of Lynch’s run Magellan was a behemoth struggling to eke out “a razor thin margin of victory,” as investment commentator William Bernstein put it.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Thimphu thin client

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