thinly

thinly — adverb

1. Describing an action such as spreading, slicing, or applying that gives a very f

1.副詞B1
釋義

Describing an action such as spreading, slicing, or applying that gives a very fine layer or a very narrow piece — for instance, butter spread so thin you can see the bread, or a vegetable cut into see-through rounds.

例句

Léa spread the butter thinly across each slice of bread before adding the jam.

thinly spread — applying a thin layer

Asher sliced the cucumber so thinly that the pieces let light through.

thinly sliced — cutting to minimal thickness

同義詞
  • finely

    suggests small particles or precise cutting rather than reduced thickness; 'finely chopped' vs 'thinly sliced'

  • delicately

    emphasises care and fragility rather than just reduced thickness

反義詞
  • thickly

    the direct opposite — a thick layer or cut

  • generously

    implies a plentiful, thick application, especially for spreads

文法句型

thinly + past participle (sliced, spread, applied)

用法筆記

Common with verbs of physical application: spread, slice, cut, apply, roll. The result is always a visible reduction in the thickness dimension.

常見錯誤

❌Spread the butter thin on the bread.
✅Spread the butter thinly on the bread.
💡'thin' is an adjective, not an adverb; use 'thinly' to describe how something is done.

2. When people, objects, or resources are positioned across a space with wide gaps

2.副詞B1
釋義

When people, objects, or resources are positioned across a space with wide gaps between them, so that most of the area remains empty, or there is not enough to cover the demand.

例句

The northern region of Canada is thinly populated, with towns separated by hundreds of kilometres.

thinly populated — low population density

Shirin spread her team too thinly across four different projects, and performance suffered.

thinly spread — resources stretched too far

同義詞
  • sparsely

    more commonly used for population and vegetation; 'sparsely populated' is more natural than 'thinly populated' in some contexts

  • lightly

    suggests a smaller amount rather than wider spacing; 'lightly attended' emphasises few people rather than wide gaps

反義詞
  • densely

    the standard opposite — many people or things close together

  • thickly

    often used for vegetation or crowds; 'thickly forested'

文法句型

thinly + past participle (populated, attended, spread)

thinly + adjective

用法筆記

Often paired with past participles that describe how many people or things are present: populated, attended, staffed, spread. 'Thinly spread' is the most metaphorical — it applies to effort, money, or attention, not just physical spacing.

常見錯誤

❌The room was thin with people.
✅The room was thinly populated.
💡'thin' is an adjective describing the room, but you need the adverb 'thinly' to describe how the people are distributed.

3. Used to describe an attempt at concealment or disguise that is so weak the hidde

3.副詞B2
釋義

Used to describe an attempt at concealment or disguise that is so weak the hidden truth remains obvious — for instance, a criticism barely hidden behind praise, or a real story barely changed into fiction.

例句

Adaeze's article was a thinly disguised attack on the company's management practices.

thinly disguised — obviously hidden

Jason's praise for his colleague was thinly veiled jealousy over the promotion.

thinly veiled — barely concealed emotion

同義詞
  • barely

    modifies the same participles ('barely disguised') but focuses on minimal concealment rather than transparent thinness

  • transparently

    stronger — implies no concealment at all, whereas 'thinly' suggests a token attempt

反義詞
  • deeply

    the opposite of surface-level concealment; 'deeply hidden'

  • carefully

    implies deliberate, successful concealment

文法句型

thinly + past participle (disguised, veiled, fictionalized)

用法筆記

Restricted to a small set of fixed expressions: thinly disguised, thinly veiled, and thinly fictionalized appear in over 90% of uses for this sense. Learners should memorise these as set phrases rather than trying to invent new combinations.

常見錯誤

❌His anger was thinly hided.
✅His anger was thinly disguised.
💡'disguised' is the conventional past participle for this sense; 'veiled' is the other option.

4. Describing a smile, laugh, or show of feeling that lacks genuine warmth or energ

4.副詞C1
釋義

Describing a smile, laugh, or show of feeling that lacks genuine warmth or energy, so the person comes across as unwilling, uninterested, or merely going through the motions.

例句

Roya smiled thinly when her friend suggested they work together again.

thinly smiled — forced, reluctant reaction

The audience clapped thinly after the presentation, clearly unimpressed.

thinly clapped — weak applause

同義詞
  • weakly

    broader — applies to any lack of force, not just insincerity; 'weakly protested'

  • lamely

    suggests a lack of effort or effectiveness; 'lamely apologized'

反義詞
  • heartily

    enthusiastic and sincere; 'laughed heartily'

  • warmly

    genuine and friendly; 'smiled warmly'

文法句型

thinly + verb (smiled, laughed, clapped)

thinly + adjective (enthusiastic, polite)

用法筆記

Typically modifies verbs of expression (smiled, laughed, clapped) that describe a reaction lacking genuine feeling. Less common than the other three senses; learners at C1 level may encounter it in fiction and journalism.

常見錯誤

❌He thin smiled at the joke.
✅He smiled thinly at the joke.
💡'thin' is an adjective, not an adverb. The adverb 'thinly' must modify the verb.