thick
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for thick, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Having a large distance between opposite surfaces; not thin.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use thick
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English þicce ("thick, dense"), part of a very old Germanic word family — related to Dutch dik and German dick.
Full origin of thick →Frequently asked questions
What does “thick” mean?
The word “thick” means having a large distance between opposite surfaces; not thin. In plain terms, not thin — whether that means wide, dense, syrupy, hard to see through, or (informally) a bit slow-witted.
How do you pronounce “thick”?
“Thick” is pronounced thihk (/θɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “thick” in a sentence?
Here is “thick” used in a sentence: “She spread a thick layer of jam on the toast.”
What part of speech is “thick”?
“Thick” is an adjective.
Where does the word “thick” come from?
The word “thick” comes from Old English. From Old English þicce ("thick, dense"), part of a very old Germanic word family — related to Dutch dik and German dick.
Is “thick” a common word?
“Thick” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “thick” have?
“Thick” has 7 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a large distance between opposite surfaces; not thin.
What is the difference between thick and wide?
Thickness measures the distance through an object, between its two opposite surfaces, while width measures the distance across it from side to side. A plank can be wide but not thick, meaning broad across yet shallow front to back. Thick always refers to how deep or substantial something is through its body.
What is the difference between thick and dense?
Thick describes a large distance between surfaces or, for liquids, a heavy consistency that flows slowly. Dense describes how tightly packed the matter is, or how much mass fits in a space. A thick fog is deep and hard to see through; a dense fog is heavily concentrated. They often overlap but aren't identical.
What are the different meanings of thick?
Beyond measuring distance between surfaces, 'thick' describes viscous liquids (thick soup), heavy concentrations (thick smoke or a thick crowd), and close friendship (thick as thieves). Informally in British English it can also mean slow-witted. All these senses share the idea of something substantial, heavy, or densely gathered.
What is the opposite of thick?
The standard opposite is thin, for something with little distance between its surfaces. For liquids the opposite is runny or watery; for fog or crowds it is sparse or light; for consistency, fine. Which antonym fits depends on whether you mean a solid object, a fluid, or a gathering.