The difference between Narrow and Thin

When used as nouns, narrow means a narrow passage, especially a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea, whereas thin means a loss or tearing of paper from the back of a stamp, although not sufficient to create a complete hole.

When used as verbs, narrow means to reduce in width or extent, whereas thin means to make thin or thinner.

When used as adjectives, narrow means having a small width, whereas thin means having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite.


Thin is also adverb with the meaning: not thickly or closely.

check bellow for the other definitions of Narrow and Thin

  1. Narrow as an adjective:

    Having a small width; not wide; having opposite edges or sides that are close, especially by comparison to length or depth.

    Examples:

    "a narrow hallway"

  2. Narrow as an adjective:

    Of little extent; very limited; circumscribed.

  3. Narrow as an adjective (figuratively):

    Restrictive; without flexibility or latitude.

    Examples:

    "a narrow interpretation"

  4. Narrow as an adjective:

    Contracted; of limited scope; bigoted

    Examples:

    "a narrow mind"

    "'narrow views"

  5. Narrow as an adjective:

    Having a small margin or degree.

    Examples:

    "a narrow escape"

    "The Republicans won by a narrow majority."

  6. Narrow as an adjective (dated):

    Limited as to means; straitened

    Examples:

    "narrow circumstances"

  7. Narrow as an adjective:

    Parsimonious; niggardly; covetous; selfish.

  8. Narrow as an adjective:

    Scrutinizing in detail; close; accurate; exact.

  9. Narrow as an adjective (phonetics):

    Formed (as a vowel) by a close position of some part of the tongue in relation to the palate; or (according to Bell) by a tense condition of the pharynx; distinguished from wide.

  1. Narrow as a verb (transitive):

    To reduce in width or extent; to contract.

    Examples:

    "We need to narrow the search."

  2. Narrow as a verb (intransitive):

    To get narrower.

    Examples:

    "The road narrows."

  3. Narrow as a verb (of a person or eyes):

    To partially lower one's eyelids in a way usually taken to suggest a defensive, aggressive or penetrating look.

    Examples:

    "He stepped in front of me, narrowing his eyes to slits."

    "She wagged her finger in his face, and her eyes narrowed."

  4. Narrow as a verb (knitting):

    To contract the size of, as a stocking, by taking two stitches into one.

  1. Narrow as a noun (chiefly, in the plural):

    A narrow passage, especially a contracted part of a stream, lake, or sea; a strait connecting two bodies of water.

    Examples:

    "the Narrows of New York harbor"

  1. Thin as an adjective:

    Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite.

    Examples:

    "'thin plate of metal; thin paper; thin board; thin covering"

  2. Thin as an adjective:

    Very narrow in all diameters; having a cross section that is small in all directions.

    Examples:

    "'thin wire; thin string"

  3. Thin as an adjective:

    Having little body fat or flesh; slim; slender; lean; gaunt.

    Examples:

    "thin person"

  4. Thin as an adjective:

    Of low viscosity or low specific gravity, e.g., as is water compared to honey.

  5. Thin as an adjective:

    Scarce; not close, crowded, or numerous; not filling the space.

    Examples:

    "The trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin."

  6. Thin as an adjective (golf):

    Describing a poorly played golf shot where the ball is struck by the bottom part of the club head. See fat, shank, toe.

  7. Thin as an adjective:

    Lacking body or volume; small; feeble; not full.

  8. Thin as an adjective:

    Slight; small; slender; flimsy; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering.

    Examples:

    "a thin disguise"

  1. Thin as a noun (philately):

    A loss or tearing of paper from the back of a stamp, although not sufficient to create a complete hole.

  2. Thin as a noun:

    Any food produced or served in thin slices.

    Examples:

    "chocolate mint thins"

    "potato thins"

  1. Thin as a verb (transitive):

    To make thin or thinner.

  2. Thin as a verb (intransitive):

    To become thin or thinner.

  3. Thin as a verb:

    To dilute.

  4. Thin as a verb:

    To remove some plants or parts of plants in order to improve the growth of what remains.

  1. Thin as an adverb:

    Not thickly or closely; in a scattered state.

    Examples:

    "seed sown thin"