Standard Lemma guide

thickening

adj · noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈθɪkənɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: TH IH1 K AH0 N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: TH IH1 K N IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Beginning to thicken, becoming thicker.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A thickened part of a structure.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

present participle and gerund of thicken

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

becoming more intricate or complex

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a thickening plot

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

the act of thickening

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inspissation

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: condensing, condensation

8

noun

Meaning 8

any thickened enlargement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: node, knob

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: convex shape, convexity

9

noun

Meaning 9

any material used to thicken

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • starch is used in cooking as a thickening

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: thickener

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: material, stuff

History

Etymology

From thicken + -ing.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сгъстяване (sgǎstjavane) — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Finnish: sakeutus — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • French: épaississement — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • German: Dickwerden — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Hungarian: sűrűsödés — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Hungarian: besűrűsödés — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Hungarian: sűrítés — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Hungarian: besűrítés — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Italian: ispessimento — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Portuguese: espessamento — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Russian: сгуще́ние (sguščénije) — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Spanish: espesamiento — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Swedish: redning — the process of making something, or becoming, thick or viscous
  • Bulgarian: сгъстител (sgǎstitel) — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Finnish: suuruste — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Finnish: sakeute — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • French: épaississant — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • German: Verdickungsmittel — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Hungarian: sűrítőanyag — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Hungarian: dúsítóanyag — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Italian: addensante — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Portuguese: espessante — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Spanish: espesante — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
  • Swedish: redning — a substance, usually a source of starch, used to thicken a sauce
Real reading context

thickening in complete knowledge articles