Thick vs. Thin — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 13, 2023
Thick refers to having a larger distance between opposite sides or surfaces, while Thin indicates a smaller distance between such sides, often implying a lack of bulk or substance.
Difference Between Thick and Thin
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Thick and Thin, both descriptors of dimension, contrast in the degree of space they represent between opposite sides. Thick connotes a substantial or dense measurement, suggesting depth or bulk. On the other hand, Thin points to a minimal dimension, often reflecting scarcity or insubstantiality.
Diving further, Thick often describes objects or substances that are substantial or robust in form. In culinary terms, a thick sauce implies one that is rich and dense in its consistency. Conversely, Thin is utilized to depict objects or substances that lack such fullness. A thin sauce, in contrast, would be more watery and less concentrated in flavor.
The adjectives Thick and Thin also find applications in metaphorical contexts. Loyalty "through thick and thin" represents enduring both good and challenging times. Here, "thick" and "thin" symbolize the spectrum of experiences, from the heavy and challenging to the easy and straightforward.
In various contexts, the two words can convey different nuances. In discussions about air or atmosphere, thick might imply heaviness or pollution, suggesting a dense or challenging environment to navigate. Thin, when talking about air, especially at higher altitudes, denotes a lack of oxygen and a lighter atmospheric pressure.
Comparison Chart
Basic Definition
Substantial distance between sides
Minimal distance between sides
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Consistency (in food)
Dense, less fluid
Watery, more fluid
Metaphorical Usage
Challenging situations (in 'thick and thin')
Easier situations (in 'thick and thin')
Atmospheric Context
Heavy, possibly polluted air
Lack of oxygen, as in high altitudes
Implied Attribute
Depth, robustness
Scarcity, frailty
Compare with Definitions
Thick
Having a broad dimension relative to depth or width.
The walls of the castle were thick and sturdy.
Thin
Sparse in density or number.
The crowd was thin after the rain started.
Thick
Dense in consistency or arrangement.
The forest was thick with trees.
Thin
Watery in consistency; not dense.
The soup was disappointingly thin.
Thick
Filled or loaded with; abounding.
The air was thick with tension.
Thin
Not convincing, weak in substance or validity.
His excuse was a thin one.
Thick
With opposite sides or surfaces that are far or relatively far apart
The walls are 5 feet thick
Thick slices of bread
Thick metal cables
Thin
With opposite surfaces or sides that are close or relatively close together
A thin line of paint
Thin slices of bread
Thick
Made up of a large number of things or people close together
The road winds through thick forest
His hair was long and thick
Thin
Having little, or too little, flesh or fat on the body
A thin, gawky adolescent
Thick
(of a liquid or a semi-liquid substance) relatively firm in consistency; not flowing freely
Thick mud
Thin
Having few parts or members relative to the area covered or filled; sparse
A depressingly thin crowd
His hair was going thin
Thick
Of low intelligence; stupid
He's a bit thick
Thin
(of a liquid substance) not containing much solid; flowing freely
Thin soup
Thick
(of a voice) not clear or distinct; hoarse or husky
Guy's voice was thick with desire
A snarling thick voice
Thin
Lacking substance or quality; weak or inadequate
The evidence is rather thin
Thick
Having a very close, friendly relationship
He's very thick with the new master
Thin
With little thickness or depth
A thin-sliced loaf
Cut the ham as thin as possible
Thick
The most active or crowded part of something
We were in the thick of the battle
Thin
Make or become less dense, crowded, or numerous
The trees began to thin out
The remorseless fire of archers thinned their ranks
Thick
In or with deep, dense, or heavy mass
Bread spread thick with butter
Thin
Make or become smaller in thickness
Their effect in thinning the ozone layer is probably slowing the global warming trend
Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin
A thick board.
Thin
Hit (a ball) above its centre.
Thick
Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension
Two inches thick.
Thin
Relatively small in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension
A thin book.
Thick
Heavy in form, build, or stature; thickset
A thick neck.
Thin
Not great in diameter or cross section; fine
Thin wire.
Thick
Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense
A thick forest.
Thin
Having little bodily flesh or fat; lean or slender.
Thick
Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency
Thick tomato sauce.
Thin
Not dense or concentrated; sparse
The thin vegetation of the plateau.
Thick
Having a great number; abounding
A room thick with flies.
Thin
More rarefied than normal
Thin air.
Thick
Impenetrable by the eyes
A thick fog.
Thin
Flowing with relative ease; not viscous
A thin oil.
Thick
Hard to hear or understand, as from being husky or slurred
Thick speech.
Thin
Watery
Thin soup.
Thick
Very noticeable; pronounced
Has a thick accent.
Thin
Sparsely supplied or provided; scanty
A thin menu.
Thick
(Informal) Lacking mental agility; stupid.
Thin
Having a low number of transactions
Thin trading in the stock market.
Thick
(Informal) Very friendly; intimate
Thick friends.
Thin
Lacking force or substance; flimsy
A thin attempt.
Thick
(Informal) Going beyond what is tolerable; excessive.
Thin
Lacking resonance or fullness; tinny
The piano had a thin sound.
Thick
In a thick manner; deeply or heavily
Seashells lay thick on the beach.
Thin
Lacking radiance or intensity
Thin light.
Thick
In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely
Dozens of braids hung thick from the back of her head.
Thin
Not having enough photographic density or contrast to make satisfactory prints. Used of a negative.
Thick
So as to be thick; thickly
Slice the bread thick for the best French toast.
Thin
In a thin manner
Spread the varnish thin if you don't want it to wrinkle.
Thick
The thickest part.
Thin
So as to be thin
Cut the cheese thin.
Thick
The most active or intense part
In the thick of the fighting.
Thin
To make or become thin or thinner.
Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension.
Thin
Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite.
Thin plate of metal;
Thin paper;
Thin board;
Thin covering
Thick
Measuring a certain number of units in this dimension.
I want some planks that are two inches thick.
Thin
Very narrow in all diameters; having a cross section that is small in all directions.
Thin wire;
Thin string
Thick
Heavy in build; thickset.
He had such a thick neck that he had to turn his body to look to the side.
Thin
Having little body fat or flesh; slim; slender; lean; gaunt.
Thin person
Thick
Densely crowded or packed.
We walked through thick undergrowth.
Thin
Of low viscosity or low specific gravity.
Water is thinner than honey.
Thick
Having a viscous consistency.
My mum’s gravy was thick but at least it moved about.
Thin
Scarce; not close, crowded, or numerous; not filling the space.
The trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin.
Thick
Abounding in number.
The room was thick with reporters.
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.
Thick
Impenetrable to sight.
We drove through thick fog.
Thin
Lacking body or volume; small; feeble; not full.
Thick
(Of an accent) Prominent, strong.
Thin
Slight; small; slender; flimsy; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering.
A thin disguise
Thick
Greatly evocative of one's nationality or place of origin.
He answered me in his characteristically thick Creole patois.
Thin
(aviation) Of a route: relatively little used.
Thick
Difficult to understand, or poorly articulated.
We had difficulty understanding him with his thick accent.
Thin
Poor; scanty; without money or success.
Thick
(informal) Stupid.
He was as thick as two short planks.
Thin
(philately) A loss or tearing of paper from the back of a stamp, although not sufficient to create a complete hole.
Thick
(informal) Friendly or intimate.
They were as thick as thieves.
Thin
Any food produced or served in thin slices.
Chocolate mint thins
Potato thins
Wheat thins
Thick
Deep, intense, or profound.
Thick darkness.
Thin
(transitive) To make thin or thinner.
Thick
(academic) Detailed and expansive; substantive.
Thin
(intransitive) To become thin or thinner.
The crowds thinned after the procession had passed: there was nothing more to see.
Thick
Troublesome; unreasonable
Thin
To dilute.
Thick
Curvy and voluptuous, and especially having large hips.
Thin
To remove some plants or parts of plants in order to improve the growth of what remains.
Thick
In a thick manner.
Snow lay thick on the ground.
Thin
Not thickly or closely; in a scattered state.
Seed sown thin
Thick
Frequently or numerously.
The arrows flew thick and fast around us.
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.
Thick
The thickest, or most active or intense, part of something.
It was mayhem in the thick of battle.
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.
Thick
A thicket.
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.
Thick
(slang) A stupid person; a fool.
Thin
Not full or well grown; wanting in plumpness.
Seven thin ears . . . blasted with the east wind.
Thick
To thicken.
Thin
Not stout; slim; slender; lean; gaunt; as, a person becomes thin by disease.
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.
Thin
Wanting in body or volume; small; feeble; not full.
Thin, hollow sounds, and lamentable screams.
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.
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.
Thick
Dense; not thin; inspissated; as, thick vapors. Also used figuratively; as, thick darkness.
Make the gruel thick and slab.
Thin
Not thickly or closely; in a seattered state; as, seed sown thin.
Spain is thin sown of people.
Thick
Not transparent or clear; hence, turbid, muddy, or misty; as, the water of a river is apt to be thick after a rain.
Thin
To make thin (in any of the senses of the adjective).
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.
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.
Thick
Not having due distinction of syllables, or good articulation; indistinct; as, a thick utterance.
Thin
Lose thickness; become thin or thinner
Thick
Deep; profound; as, thick sleep.
Thin
Make thin or thinner;
Thin the solution
Thick
Dull; not quick; as, thick of fearing.
His dimensions to any thick sight were invincible.
Thin
Lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture;
Cut bourbon
Thick
Intimate; very friendly; familiar.
We have been thick ever since.
Thin
Take off weight
Thick
The thickest part, or the time when anything is thickest.
In the thick of the dust and smoke.
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
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.
Thin
Lacking excess flesh;
You can't be too rich or too thin
Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look
Thick
Frequently; fast; quick.
Thin
Very narrow;
A thin line across the page
Thick
Closely; as, a plat of ground thick sown.
Thin
Having little substance or significance;
A flimsy excuse
Slight evidence
A tenuous argument
A thin plot
Thick
To a great depth, or to a greater depth than usual; as, land covered thick with manure.
Thin
Not dense;
A thin beard
Trees were sparse
Thick
To thicken.
The nightmare Life-in-death was she,Who thicks man's blood with cold.
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
Thick
The location of something surrounded by other things;
In the midst of the crowd
Thin
(of sound) lacking resonance or volume;
A thin feeble cry
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
Thin
Lacking spirit or sincere effort;
A thin smile
Thick
Closely crowded together;
A compact shopping center
A dense population
Thick crowds
Thin
Without viscosity;
The blood was flowing thin
Thick
Relatively dense in consistency;
Thick cream
Thick soup
Thick smoke
Thick fog
Thin
Having little extent from one surface to its opposite.
The paper was so thin it was almost transparent.
Thick
Spoken as if with a thick tongue;
The thick speech of a drunkard
His words were slurred
Thin
Lacking fullness or volume.
Her voice was thin and shaky.
Thick
Wide from side to side;
A heavy black mark
Thick
Hard to pass through because of dense growth;
Dense vegetation
Thick woods
Thick
(of darkness) very intense;
Thick night
Thick darkness
A face in deep shadow
Deep night
Thick
Abundant;
A thick head of hair
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
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
Thick
Used informally
Thick
Abundantly covered or filled;
The top was thick with dust
Thick
With a thick consistency;
The blood was flowing thick
Thick
In quick succession;
Misfortunes come fast and thick
Thick
Challenging to see through; not transparent.
The fog was so thick that driving became hazardous.
Thick
Heavy in sound; not clear or distinct.
His accent was thick, making him difficult to understand.
Common Curiosities
Are Thick and Thin strictly physical descriptors?
No, they can also be used metaphorically, as in "through thick and thin".
Can you describe a voice as Thick or Thin?
Yes, a "thick voice" might be raspy, while a "thin voice" may lack resonance.
What does "thick-skinned" mean?
It refers to someone not easily affected by criticism.
Is "thin-skinned" its opposite?
Yes, it means someone is easily hurt or sensitive to criticism.
Can foods be described as Thick or Thin?
Yes, like a thick soup versus a thin broth.
What does a "thin line" mean in expressions?
It means a fine distinction or small difference between two things.
Can "thick" mean close or intimate?
Yes, as in "they are thick as thieves", implying a close relationship.
Is "spread thin" about physical spreading?
Not necessarily. It can mean overextending oneself across responsibilities.
Can "thick" be used in terms of population density?
Yes, like "the crowd was thick" meaning densely packed.
What does "thick-headed" imply?
It's a colloquial term for someone perceived as stubborn or unintelligent.
Is there a "thinness" noun form like "thickness"?
Yes, "thinness" describes the quality or state of being thin.
Is "thin on the ground" about physical presence?
It's an idiom meaning scarce or in short supply.
Is "thick air" the same as "thick atmosphere"?
Not always. "Thick air" might mean polluted, while "thick atmosphere" can imply tension.
Can "thin" imply weakness?
Yes, as in "a thin argument" meaning not persuasive or substantial.
Can Thin describe a liquid's viscosity?
Yes, like motor oil can be thick or thin, indicating its flow properties.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
