Meaning & use
dethaw
Last updated
Meaning
verbtransitive or intransitiveinformaldisapproving
to become unfrozen or to make something unfrozen; many people consider this word incorrect and prefer 'thaw' or 'defrost'
Grammar: Can be used with an object (dethaw the meat) or without (the meat dethawed), but careful writers avoid it.
Patterns
- dethaw something
- something dethaws
You need to dethaw the chicken before cooking it, but most recipes say 'thaw'.
The pipes dethawed slowly as the sun came up.
Some people say 'dethaw', but 'thaw' is the standard word.
Word forms
| third person singular | dethaws |
|---|---|
| past tense | dethawed |
| past participle | dethawed |
| -ing form | dethawing |
Common combinations
- dethaw the meat
- She forgot to dethaw the meat before dinner.
- dethaw in the refrigerator
- It is safer to dethaw frozen food in the refrigerator.
- slowly dethaw
- The frozen vegetables slowly dethawed on the counter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thaw
- Thaw is the standard, correct word for becoming unfrozen; dethaw is a nonstandard variant that many people consider wrong.
- defrost
- Defrost is used especially for frozen food or a freezer, and is always acceptable; dethaw is informal and often criticized.
- melt
- Melt means to become liquid, usually because of heat; thaw means to become unfrozen, which may not involve complete melting.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: dethaw or thaw?
dethaw vs thaw
Thaw is the correct word; dethaw is a common mistake because the prefix 'de-' usually means 'remove', so 'dethaw' would logically mean the opposite.
Practice
Which word should careful writers use instead of 'dethaw'?
Choose one answer.
'Thaw' is the standard verb meaning to become unfrozen. 'Unthaw' is another nonstandard form, 'dethawing' is just the -ing form of the same questionable word, and 'defrosting' is correct but usually refers to removing ice from a freezer or food, not simply becoming unfrozen.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dethaw”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.