What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
melting
Example
The ice cream is melting in the sun. [melting: present participle]
Example
She melted the chocolate in a double boiler. [melted: past tense]
thawing
Example
I left the chicken out to thaw overnight. [thaw: verb]
Example
The snow is finally thawing after a long winter. [thawing: gerund or present participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Thawing is less commonly used than melting in everyday language. Melting is a more versatile word that can be used in various contexts, while thawing is more specific to the process of defrosting frozen substances.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between melting and thawing?
Both melting and thawing are neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
