thicken

[ thik-uhn ]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become thick or thicker.
2. to make or grow more intense, profound, intricate, or complex:

   The plot thickens.

thicken

/ ˈθɪkən /

verb

1. to make or become thick or thicker

   thicken the soup by adding flour

2. intr to become more involved

   the plot thickened

Derived Forms

• ˈthickener, noun

Other Words From

• re·thicken verb
• un·thicken verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of thicken¹

1375–1425; late Middle English thiknen < Old Norse thykkna. See thick, -en ¹

Example Sentences

For example, drought prompts plants to thicken the waxy cuticle layer on leaf surfaces.

From Science Daily

This means any filling that has eggs in it and is being baked to set those eggs in order to thicken the filling.

From Salon

The plot has thickened over the fate of Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball as another person is claiming legal ownership of the piece of baseball history.

From Los Angeles Times

Some developed a thickening of their womb linings, a potential precursor to cancer.

From BBC

Even as a moist blanket of air in the marine layer thickens, rising to 4,500 feet by Sunday, conditions above that remain parched.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clot
• condense
• congeal
• curdle
• swell