thicken
B2neutral, with technical uses in cooking
Definition
Meaning
To make or become more dense, viscous, or substantial in texture or form.
To become more complex, intense, or difficult to see through; to make something more numerous or crowded.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a verb. The intransitive sense (e.g., 'the soup thickened') is common. Also used metaphorically for plots, atmospheres, accents, etc.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both use 'thicken' in identical culinary and metaphorical contexts.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] (intransitive)[V n] (transitive)[V with n] (e.g., thicken with flour)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the plot thickens”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used directly. Can be metaphorical: 'Competition in the sector is beginning to thicken.'
Academic
Used in chemistry, materials science, and culinary science to describe processes of increasing viscosity.
Everyday
Primarily culinary: 'Let the sauce thicken for five minutes.' Also metaphorical: 'The fog thickened overnight.'
Technical
Specific use in cooking (e.g., thickening agents like cornflour), paint manufacture, and fluid dynamics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Add cornflour to thicken the custard.
- The mystery thickened when a second letter arrived.
- The woodland thickens as you go further in.
American English
- Use a roux to thicken the gumbo.
- The plot thickens in the third act.
- The clouds thickened, threatening rain.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The soup will thicken if you boil it.
- Mix the flour and water to thicken the paint.
- As the sauce thickens, reduce the heat.
- The fog began to thicken, making driving dangerous.
- The novelist allows the plot to thicken gradually, adding new characters and conflicts.
- The paste should thicken to the consistency of peanut butter.
- Political tensions in the region continued to thicken throughout the winter.
- The liquid polymer thickens upon exposure to ultraviolet light.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'thick' + 'en' (to make). You make something thick(er).
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS DENSITY / COMPLEXITY IS DENSITY (e.g., a thickening plot).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'thicken' directly as 'густеть/сгущать' in non-culinary metaphors where it might sound unnatural. Russian might use 'становиться сложнее' or 'усиливаться' for plots/fog.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'thicken' for making something larger in size (use 'enlarge'). Confusing with 'thicken' (correct) and 'thick' (adjective).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'the plot thickens', what does 'thicken' metaphorically mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While common for sauces, soups, etc., it's also used for fog, hair, crowds, plots, and accents.
'Thicken' is more general and often implies a process (e.g., cooking). 'Densify' is more technical/scientific, referring specifically to increasing mass per unit volume.
No. 'Thicken' is a verb. The comparative adjective is 'thicker'. Incorrect: 'Make it more thicken.' Correct: 'Make it thicker.' or 'Let it thicken more.'
Intransitive: 'The mixture thickened.' Transitive: 'She thickened the sauce.' Prepositional: 'Thicken the gravy with a little flour.'