thin out

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To make sparse; to remove some of a group of newly-planted plants in order to allow the remaining ones to grow unimpeded.

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To become sparse.

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “thin out” mean?

To make sparse; to remove some of a group of newly-planted plants in order to allow the remaining ones to grow unimpeded.

Is “thin out” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.