thick
thihk
Thick (adj) means having a large distance between opposite surfaces; not thin. Example: “She spread a thick layer of jam on the toast.”
adj
1
Having a large distance between opposite surfaces; not thin.
"She spread a thick layer of jam on the toast."
"The walls of the castle were thick enough to stop a cannonball."
"Cut the bread into thick slices for the sandwiches."
2
Having a heavy, sturdy build.
"The rugby player had thick arms and a broad chest."
"The farmer had thick shoulders from years of hard lifting."
"The builder was a short man with a thick, powerful frame."
3
Densely packed or crowded together.
"Thick crowds filled the narrow streets during the festival."
"The fish swam in thick shoals near the rocky shore."
"The trees grew thick along the riverbank."
4
Having a heavy, syrupy consistency rather than being runny.
"Let the sauce simmer until it turns thick."
"The soup was thick and creamy, with plenty of potato."
"Stir the custard until it goes thick enough to coat a spoon."
5
Difficult to see through, as with fog, smoke, or an accent.
"A thick mist rolled in off the sea."
"He still spoke with a thick Irish accent."
"The thick smoke made it hard to see the road ahead."
6
Slow to understand; not very intelligent (informal).
"Don't be thick — of course that's a trick question."
"I felt thick when I couldn't understand the simple instructions."
"He's not thick, he just needs things explained slowly."
7
Closely bonded or on very friendly terms with someone (usually "thick as thieves").
"The two of them have been thick as thieves since school."
"My brother and his best friend are thick as thieves."
"The two neighbours became thick as thieves after the street party."
How to use thick
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot thin — whether that means wide, dense, syrupy, hard to see through, or (informally) a bit slow-witted.
Common mistake
In British slang, "thick" describing a person means stupid, not physically large — don't confuse it with "thickset", which is about build.
Common pairings
thick fog
thick accent
thick as thieves
a thick book
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Word forms
- Plural
- thicks
- Third person singular
- thicks
- Past tense
- thicked
- Comparative
- thicker
- Superlative
- thickest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She spread a _____ layer of jam on the toast.
Etymology
From Old English þicce ("thick, dense"), part of a very old Germanic word family — related to Dutch dik and German dick.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for thick
See all rhymes for 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.
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