Thinning

ˈθɪnɪŋ

verbmediumCommonGeneral

Definitions

2 meanings
1

The act of making something less dense or thick, either physically or in terms of quantity.

ˈθɪnɪŋ

verbneutralmedium
General

To make something less dense or thick.

The gardener is thinning out the seedlings to give each plant more space.

💡 Simply: Thinning is like when you're making soup and it's too thick. You can make it less thick by adding more liquid, just like the farmer thins out the crowded plants to help them grow better.

👶 For kids: Making something less thick or crowded, like taking some toys out of a toy box so it's not so full.

More Examples

2

The chef thinned the sauce with some cream.

3

The foresters are thinning the trees to reduce the risk of fire.

How It's Used

Agriculture

"The farmer is thinning the apple trees to increase fruit yield."

Hair Care

"The stylist is thinning my hair to remove some weight and give it more movement."

Art

"The artist is thinning the paint with turpentine to create a watercolor effect."

2

The act or process of reducing the density, thickness, or amount of something.

ˈθɪnɪŋ

nounneutralmedium
General

The process of making something less dense or thick.

The thinning of the forest reduced the risk of wildfires.

💡 Simply: Thinning is the act of making something less thick or crowded, like when a hairdresser thins your hair or a farmer thins out plants in a field.

👶 For kids: When you take some things away so there aren't as many, like taking some blocks away from a tall tower so it doesn't fall.

More Examples

2

After the thinning, the plants had more room to grow.

3

Regular thinning of the hair can improve its overall look and feel.

How It's Used

Agriculture

"Thinning of the fruit trees resulted in larger and better apples."

Forestry

"Forest thinning is essential to maintain the health of the forest."

Hair Care

"The stylist recommended a thinning service to manage the thickness of the hair."

Tip:Think of the 'thinning' of a crowd as people leave.

From Middle English thinnen, from Old English þynnan ('to make thin').

The word 'thinning' has been used in contexts of agriculture and craftsmanship for several centuries, referring to processes that involve making something less dense or reducing its volume.

Memory tip

Think of thinning soup; you add water to make it less thick.

thiningthinningg

Usage

40%Spoken
60%Written