defrost

verb

de·​frost di-ˈfrȯst 

ˈdē-ˌfrȯst

defrosted; defrosting; defrosts

transitive verb

1

: to release from a frozen state

defrost meat

2

a

: to free from ice

defrost a refrigerator/freezer

b

: to clear (a window or windshield) with a vehicle's defroster

defrost a windshield to clear it of ice and condensation

intransitive verb

: to thaw out especially from a deep-frozen state

Examples of defrost in a Sentence

You can defrost the soup in the microwave.

Has the refrigerator defrosted yet?

Recent Examples on the Web

Drain and place defrosted shrimp in a saucepan and cover them with cold water. —Linda Gassenheimer, Boston Herald, 7 May 2025

After defrosting them in the microwave or in the fridge overnight, they can be torn apart by hand to become noodles or left whole to fill, roll up, and fry. —Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025

Save your money and skip that defrosting tray… Every November, fans write to us nervously asking about how to defrost a turkey in time for Thanksgiving. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2025

The dirt was soft and crumbly where it had been defrosted by the heat of the grizzly’s body. —Tom Stacer, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for defrost

• accost
• crisscrossed
• embossed
• exhaust
• recrossed
• uncrossed
• bossed
• cost
• crossed
• dost
• glossed
• lost

Kids Definition

defrost

verb

de·​frost di-ˈfrȯst 

ˈdē-

1

: to free from a frozen state : thaw out

defrost meat

2

: to free from ice

defrost a refrigerator

3

: to remove fog or condensed moisture from

defrost the windshield