Cool MateMelt vs Thaw
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Melt
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Thaw
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Melt
| Melt | Thaw | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/melt/","/melts/","/ˈmeltɪd/","/ˈmeltɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/melt/","/melts/","/ˈmeltɪd/","/ˈmeltɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //θɔː//🇺🇸 //θɔ// |
| Meaning | To change from solid to liquid, usually with heat. | To make something frozen become soft or liquid. |
| Example | The ice will melt when the temperature rises above freezing. | I need to thaw the chicken before I can cook it. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | melt chocolate, melt ice, melt away, melt into | thaw out, thaw the meat, thaw in the sun |
| Antonyms | freeze, solidify, harden | - |
| Common mistakes | Using 'melt' for living things (e.g., 'melt a person'), Confusing 'melt' with 'dissolve', Incorrectly using 'melted' as an adjective for solids | Using 'thaw' in contexts not related to freezing or cold., Confusing 'thaw' with 'melt', which generally refers to solids becoming liquids., Using 'thaw' without an object, like just 'the ice will thaw'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'melt' when referring to materials like chocolate or ice. It's not used with living things and is more common in cooking contexts. | Used for food or ice. It's not used in formal writing to describe abstract concepts. |
Frequently asked questions: Melt vs Thaw
What's the difference between Melt and Thaw?
Melt: To change from solid to liquid, usually with heat. Thaw: To make something frozen become soft or liquid.
Which is more common: Melt and Thaw?
Melt is the most common in everyday English.
Can I use Melt and Thaw interchangeably?
Not always. Melt and Thaw are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.