Phrase guide

thin out

verb · 5 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make sparse; to remove some of a group of newly-planted plants in order to allow the remaining ones to grow unimpeded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To become sparse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • cut bourbon

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dilute, thin, reduce, cut

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: weaken

Narrower terms: water down

4

verb

Meaning 4

make sparse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • thin out the young plants

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reduce, cut down, cut back, trim, trim down, trim back, cut, bring down

Narrower terms: snip, clip, crop, trim, lop, dress, prune, cut back

5

verb

Meaning 5

become sparser

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Towards the end of town, the houses thinned out

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: decrease, diminish, lessen, fall

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

29 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: разреждам (razreždam) — to make sparse
  • Czech: protrhat — to make sparse
  • Finnish: harventaa — to make sparse
  • French: démarier — to make sparse
  • French: éclaircir — to make sparse
  • German: ausdünnen — to make sparse
  • German: vereinzeln — to make sparse
  • Hebrew: דִּלֵּל (dilél) — to make sparse
  • Polish: przerzedzać — to make sparse
  • Polish: przerzedzić — to make sparse
  • Spanish: dispersar — to make sparse
  • Ukrainian: прорі́джувати (prorídžuvaty) — to make sparse
  • Ukrainian: проріди́ти (proridýty) — to make sparse
  • Ukrainian: розрі́джувати (rozrídžuvaty) — to make sparse
  • Ukrainian: розріди́ти (rozridýty) — to make sparse
  • Walloon: treråyî — to make sparse
  • Walloon: distrocler — to make sparse
  • Walloon: asclairi — to make sparse
  • Bulgarian: разреждам се (razreždam se) — to become sparse
  • Czech: prořídnout — to become sparse
  • Czech: řídnout — to become sparse
  • Finnish: harventua — to become sparse
  • Finnish: harveta — to become sparse
  • Ingrian: harveta — to become sparse
  • Polish: przerzedzać się — to become sparse
  • Polish: przerzedzić się — to become sparse
  • Spanish: dispersar — to become sparse
  • Ukrainian: прорі́джуватися (prorídžuvatysja) — to become sparse
  • Ukrainian: проріди́тися (proridýtysja) — to become sparse