Thick vs. Thin: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on September 25, 2023
"Thick" describes something with substantial depth or bulk, while "thin" refers to something of slight depth or fineness.
Difference Between Thick and Thin
"Thick" and "thin" are antonyms in the English language, representing opposing concepts regarding depth or density. "Thick" is used to describe objects that have a considerable depth or bulk. For instance, when referring to a book with many pages, it would be apt to use the word "thick."
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
Conversely, "thin" describes items that have little depth or are finely spread. It's the opposite of "thick" and can be used to describe paper, cloth, or any object that lacks substantial depth. When looking at a sheet of paper, one would appropriately describe it as "thin."
Muazma Batool
Sep 25, 2023
"Thick" can also allude to the density of substances, like a "thick" sauce, implying that it's rich and not watery. On the other hand, "thin" can imply the lack of density or substance, such as a "thin" soup, suggesting it might be watery and less rich.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
In broader contexts, "thick" and "thin" can be employed metaphorically. People might say they'll be with someone "through thick and thin," indicating they'll be supportive during both good (thick) and challenging (thin) times.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
Thick vs. Thin Comparison Chart
Thick vs. Thin Definitions
◉Thick
Having a large distance between opposite sides.
He wore a thick jacket to stay warm.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
◉Thin
Having little depth or distance between opposite sides.
She used a thin brush for the details.
Muazma Batool
Sep 25, 2023
◉Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin
a thick board.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Relatively small in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension
a thin book.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension
two inches thick.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense
a thick forest.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency
thick tomato sauce.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Hard to hear or understand, as from being husky or slurred
thick speech.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
In a thick manner; deeply or heavily
Seashells lay thick on the beach.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Not having enough photographic density or contrast to make satisfactory prints. Used of a negative.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely
Dozens of braids hung thick from the back of her head.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
In a thin manner
Spread the varnish thin if you don't want it to wrinkle.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
So as to be thick; thickly
Slice the bread thick for the best French toast.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite.
thin plate of metal;
thin paper;
thin board;
thin covering
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Very narrow in all diameters; having a cross section that is small in all directions.
thin wire;
thin string
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Measuring a certain number of units in this dimension.
I want some planks that are two inches thick.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Having little body fat or flesh; slim; slender; lean; gaunt.
thin person
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Heavy in build; thickset.
He had such a thick neck that he had to turn his body to look to the side.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Of low viscosity or low specific gravity.
Water is thinner than honey.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Scarce; not close, crowded, or numerous; not filling the space.
The trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Having a viscous consistency.
My mum’s gravy was thick but at least it moved about.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
(golf) Describing a poorly played golf shot where the ball is struck by the bottom part of the club head. See fat, shank, toe.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Slight; small; slender; flimsy; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering.
a thin disguise
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Greatly evocative of one's nationality or place of origin.
He answered me in his characteristically thick Creole patois.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Difficult to understand, or poorly articulated.
We had difficulty understanding him with his thick accent.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
(philately) A loss or tearing of paper from the back of a stamp, although not sufficient to create a complete hole.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Any food produced or served in thin slices.
chocolate mint thins
potato thins
wheat thins
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
(intransitive) To become thin or thinner.
The crowds thinned after the procession had passed: there was nothing more to see.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
To remove some plants or parts of plants in order to improve the growth of what remains.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite; as, a thin plate of metal; thin paper; a thin board; a thin covering.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Rare; not dense or thick; - applied to fluids or soft mixtures; as, thin blood; thin broth; thin air.
In the day, when the air is more thin.
Satan, bowing lowHis gray dissimulation, disappeared,Into thin air diffused.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
The thickest, or most active or intense, part of something.
It was mayhem in the thick of battle.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Not close; not crowded; not filling the space; not having the individuals of which the thing is composed in a close or compact state; hence, not abundant; as, the trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin.
Ferrara is very large, but extremely thin of people.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Not full or well grown; wanting in plumpness.
Seven thin ears . . . blasted with the east wind.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Not stout; slim; slender; lean; gaunt; as, a person becomes thin by disease.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Wanting in body or volume; small; feeble; not full.
Thin, hollow sounds, and lamentable screams.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Measuring in the third dimension other than length and breadth, or in general dimension other than length; - said of a solid body; as, a timber seven inches thick.
Were it as thick as is a branched oak.
My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Slight; small; slender; flimsy; wanting substance or depth or force; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering; as, a thin disguise.
My tale is done, for my wit is but thin.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Having more depth or extent from one surface to its opposite than usual; not thin or slender; as, a thick plank; thick cloth; thick paper; thick neck.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Not thickly or closely; in a seattered state; as, seed sown thin.
Spain is thin sown of people.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Dense; not thin; inspissated; as, thick vapors. Also used figuratively; as, thick darkness.
Make the gruel thick and slab.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Not transparent or clear; hence, turbid, muddy, or misty; as, the water of a river is apt to be thick after a rain.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
To grow or become thin; - used with some adverbs, as out, away, etc.; as, geological strata thin out, i. e., gradually diminish in thickness until they disappear.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Abundant, close, or crowded in space; closely set; following in quick succession; frequently recurring.
The people were gathered thick together.
Black was the forest; thick with beech it stood.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Not having due distinction of syllables, or good articulation; indistinct; as, a thick utterance.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Dull; not quick; as, thick of fearing.
His dimensions to any thick sight were invincible.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section;
thin wire
a thin chiffon blouse
a thin book
a thin layer of paint
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
The thickest part, or the time when anything is thickest.
In the thick of the dust and smoke.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
lacking excess flesh;
you can't be too rich or too thin
Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
A thicket; as, gloomy thicks.
Through the thick they heard one rudely rush.
He through a little window cast his sightThrough thick of bars, that gave a scanty light.
Through thick and thin she followed him.
He became the panegyrist, through thick and thin, of a military frenzy.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
having little substance or significance;
a flimsy excuse
slight evidence
a tenuous argument
a thin plot
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
To a great depth, or to a greater depth than usual; as, land covered thick with manure.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
relatively thin in consistency or low in density; not viscous;
air is thin at high altitudes
a thin soup
skimmed milk is much thinner than whole milk
thin oil
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
To thicken.
The nightmare Life-in-death was she,Who thicks man's blood with cold.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
the location of something surrounded by other things;
in the midst of the crowd
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions;
an inch thick
a thick board
a thick sandwich
spread a thick layer of butter
thick coating of dust
thick warm blankets
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
closely crowded together;
a compact shopping center
a dense population
thick crowds
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thin
Not dense in consistency or makeup.
The broth was too thin and needed more flavor.
Levi
Sep 25, 2023
◉Thick
relatively dense in consistency;
thick cream
thick soup
thick smoke
thick fog
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
spoken as if with a thick tongue;
the thick speech of a drunkard
his words were slurred
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
hard to pass through because of dense growth;
dense vegetation
thick woods
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
(of darkness) very intense;
thick night
thick darkness
a face in deep shadow
deep night
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
heavy and compact in form or stature;
a wrestler of compact build
he was tall and heavyset
stocky legs
a thick middle-aged man
a thickset young man
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
(used informally) associated on close terms;
a close friend
the bartender was chummy with the regular customers
the two were thick as thieves for months
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Thick
Dense in consistency or makeup.
She poured the thick gravy over the potatoes.
Muazma Batool
Sep 25, 2023
◉Thick
Not sharp or fine in intellect or perception.
The concept was too thick for him to grasp.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
Thick vs. Thin Frequently Asked Questions
Can "thick" and "thin" be used metaphorically?
Yes, as in "through thick and thin," indicating support during good and bad times.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
How would one describe a material that's almost see-through?
You can call the material "thin."
Kaitlyn
Sep 25, 2023
What does "thick" mean in context to materials?
It refers to materials with substantial depth or bulk.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
If a soup lacks richness, is it "thin"?
Yes, a less rich or watery soup is described as "thin."
Olivia
Sep 25, 2023
How is "thin" used to describe substances?
It indicates the substance lacks density or is watery.
Muazma Batool
Sep 25, 2023
How is "thin" used in the context of numbers?
"Thin" can mean few in numbers, like a "thin" crowd.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 25, 2023
Content Creators
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Muazma BatoolAs a content editor, Muazma Batool is not just a grammar guru but a creative mastermind who breathes life into every word. With an eagle eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she transforms bland text into engaging content that captivates audiences and drives results.
