Thick vs. Fat: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on December 27, 2023
"Thick" refers to a large distance between opposite sides or a dense consistency, while "Fat" describes having a lot of excess flesh or adipose tissue.
Key Differences
"Thick" generally describes an object's dimension from one side to another, indicating a substantial or considerable size. It's often used for non-living things like a thick book. In contrast, "Fat" is usually used to describe living beings, particularly humans or animals, and refers to the accumulation of excess flesh or adipose tissue on the body.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
In terms of physical attributes, "thick" can be applied to various contexts such as a thick slice of bread, implying a greater than usual distance between its surfaces. "Fat," on the other hand, is more specific to biological contexts, like a fat cat, indicating the animal has a lot of bodily fat.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
"Thick" can also describe something with a dense, heavy consistency, such as thick fog or a thick sauce. This usage emphasizes density rather than a measurement of body mass. In contrast, "Fat" is not used to describe consistency but rather the physical state of a living being, focusing on the amount of body fat.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
In language, "thick" can metaphorically describe something difficult to understand, like a thick accent. However, "Fat" does not share this metaphorical usage and remains focused on the physical aspect of excess body weight.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Culturally, "thick" can be seen in a neutral or positive light, like being sturdy or robust. "Fat," however, often carries negative connotations related to health and appearance, despite efforts to reclaim and neutralize its usage.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Metaphorical Use
Can imply difficulty (e.g., thick fog)
Rarely used metaphorically
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Dec 27, 2023
Cultural Perception
Often seen as sturdy or robust
Often associated with health concerns
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Dec 27, 2023
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Thick and Fat Definitions
Thick
Dense in composition or consistency.
The forest was thick with underbrush.
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Dec 14, 2023
Thick
Hard to pass through because of density.
The thick fog made driving difficult.
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Dec 14, 2023
Fat
The richest or most lucrative part.
They're living off the fat of the land.
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Dec 14, 2023
Thick
Slang for someone with a full, rounded figure.
She's thick and proud of her curves.
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Dec 14, 2023
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Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension; not thin
A thick board.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Any of various soft, solid, or semisolid organic compounds constituting the esters of glycerol and fatty acids and their associated organic groups.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Measuring a specified number of units in this dimension
Two inches thick.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
A mixture of such compounds occurring widely in organic tissue, especially in the adipose tissue of animals and in the seeds, nuts, and fruits of plants.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Having component parts in a close, crowded state or arrangement; dense
A thick forest.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Having or suggesting a heavy or viscous consistency
Thick tomato sauce.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Unnecessary excess
"would drain the appropriation's fat without cutting into education's muscle" (New York Times).
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Hard to hear or understand, as from being husky or slurred
Thick speech.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Fertile or productive; rich
"It was a fine, green, fat landscape" (Robert Louis Stevenson).
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
In a thick manner; deeply or heavily
Seashells lay thick on the beach.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
In a close, compact state or arrangement; densely
Dozens of braids hung thick from the back of her head.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
So as to be thick; thickly
Slice the bread thick for the best French toast.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Carrying more fat than usual on one's body; plump; not lean or thin.
The fat man had trouble getting through the door.
The fattest pig should yield the most meat.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Thick; large.
The fat wallets of the men from the city brought joy to the peddlers.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Measuring a certain number of units in this dimension.
I want some planks that are two inches thick.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Heavy in build; thickset.
He had such a thick neck that he had to turn his body to look to the side.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Having a viscous consistency.
My mum’s gravy was thick but at least it moved about.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
(obsolete) Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Rich; producing a large income; desirable.
A fat benefice; a fat office;
A fat job
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Greatly evocative of one's nationality or place of origin.
He answered me in his characteristically thick Creole patois.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.
A fat take; a fat page
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Difficult to understand, or poorly articulated.
We had difficulty understanding him with his thick accent.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
(uncountable) A specialized animal tissue with high lipid content, used for long-term storage of energy: fat tissue.
Mammals that hibernate have plenty of fat to keep them warm during the winter.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Such tissue as food: the fatty portion of (or trimmings from) meat cuts.
Ask the butcher for a few pounds of fat for our greens.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
(countable) A lipid that is solid at room temperature, which fat tissue contains and which is also found in the blood circulation; sometimes, a refined substance chemically resembling such naturally occurring lipids.
Dietary fat is not the evil that it was once misapprehended to be; carbs are increasingly recognized as a bigger driver of atherosclerosis via chronic insulin resistance and the vascular processes that cascade from it.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Fat
That part of an organization deemed wasteful.
We need to trim the fat in this company
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Fat
(golf) A poorly played shot where the ball is struck by the top part of the club head. (see also thin, shank, toe)
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
The thickest, or most active or intense, part of something.
It was mayhem in the thick of battle.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
The best or richest productions; the best part.
To live on the fat of the land
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Work containing much blank, or its equivalent, and therefore profitable to the compositor.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Measuring in the third dimension other than length and breadth, or in general dimension other than length; - said of a solid body; as, a timber seven inches thick.
Were it as thick as is a branched oak.
My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
(obsolete) A large tub or vessel for water, wine, or other liquids; a cistern.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Having more depth or extent from one surface to its opposite than usual; not thin or slender; as, a thick plank; thick cloth; thick paper; thick neck.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Dense; not thin; inspissated; as, thick vapors. Also used figuratively; as, thick darkness.
Make the gruel thick and slab.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Not transparent or clear; hence, turbid, muddy, or misty; as, the water of a river is apt to be thick after a rain.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Abundant, close, or crowded in space; closely set; following in quick succession; frequently recurring.
The people were gathered thick together.
Black was the forest; thick with beech it stood.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Not having due distinction of syllables, or good articulation; indistinct; as, a thick utterance.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
A large tub, cistern, or vessel; a vat.
The fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Dull; not quick; as, thick of fearing.
His dimensions to any thick sight were invincible.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
An oily liquid or greasy substance making up the main bulk of the adipose tissue of animals, and widely distributed in the seeds of plants. See Adipose tissue, under Adipose.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
The best or richest productions; the best part; as, to live on the fat of the land.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
The thickest part, or the time when anything is thickest.
In the thick of the dust and smoke.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Work. containing much blank, or its equivalent, and, therefore, profitable to the compositor.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
A thicket; as, gloomy thicks.
Through the thick they heard one rudely rush.
He through a little window cast his sightThrough thick of bars, that gave a scanty light.
Through thick and thin she followed him.
He became the panegyrist, through thick and thin, of a military frenzy.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Exhibiting the qualities of a fat animal; coarse; heavy; gross; dull; stupid.
Making our western wits fat and mean.
Make the heart of this people fat.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
To a great depth, or to a greater depth than usual; as, land covered thick with manure.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Rich; producing a large income; desirable; as, a fat benefice; a fat office; a fat job.
Now parson of Troston, a fat living in Suffolk.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
To thicken.
The nightmare Life-in-death was she,Who thicks man's blood with cold.
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Abounding in riches; affluent; fortunate.
Persons grown fat and wealthy by long impostures.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
The location of something surrounded by other things;
In the midst of the crowd
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Of a character which enables the compositor to make large wages; - said of matter containing blank, cuts, or many leads, etc.; as, a fat take; a fat page.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions;
An inch thick
A thick board
A thick sandwich
Spread a thick layer of butter
Thick coating of dust
Thick warm blankets
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
To make fat; to fatten; to make plump and fleshy with abundant food; as, to fat fowls or sheep.
We fat all creatures else to fat us.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Closely crowded together;
A compact shopping center
A dense population
Thick crowds
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
To grow fat, plump, and fleshy.
An old ox fats as well, and is as good, as a young one.
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Relatively dense in consistency;
Thick cream
Thick soup
Thick smoke
Thick fog
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
A soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides);
Pizza has too much fat
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Spoken as if with a thick tongue;
The thick speech of a drunkard
His words were slurred
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Fat
A kind of body tissue containing stored fat that serves as a source of energy; adipose tissue also cushions and insulates vital organs;
Fatty tissue protected them from the severe cold
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Excess bodily weight;
She found fatness disgusting in herself as well as in others
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Hard to pass through because of dense growth;
Dense vegetation
Thick woods
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
(of darkness) very intense;
Thick night
Thick darkness
A face in deep shadow
Deep night
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Having much flesh (especially fat);
He hadn't remembered how fat she was
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Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Heavy and compact in form or stature;
A wrestler of compact build
He was tall and heavyset
Stocky legs
A thick middle-aged man
A thickset young man
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
(used informally) associated on close terms;
A close friend
The bartender was chummy with the regular customers
The two were thick as thieves for months
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Dec 13, 2023
Fat
Marked by great fruitfulness;
Fertile farmland
A fat land
A productive vineyard
Rich soil
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 13, 2023
Thick
Having a large distance between opposite surfaces.
She cut a thick slice of bread.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 14, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "Thick" describe a person's intelligence negatively?
Yes, "thick" can informally mean slow to understand, though it's derogatory.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Is "Fat" always negative when describing a person?
"Fat" can be neutral or negative, depending on context and intent.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Does "Fat" have a positive meaning in any context?
Yes, in terms of wealth or abundance, like a "fat" paycheck.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Are "Thick" and "Fat" interchangeable in any context?
Not typically, as they pertain to different qualities.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Can "Thick" be a compliment?
Yes, especially in modern slang, "thick" can be a compliment regarding someone's physique.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Is "Thick" used in scientific contexts?
Yes, in sciences like geology or materials science, "thick" describes dimensions.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Is "Thick" used only for solid objects?
"Thick" can describe solids and fluids, indicating dense consistency.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Can "Fat" be used in cooking positively?
Absolutely, "fat" can describe richness and flavor in food.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
How do "Thick" and "Fat" differ in health contexts?
"Thick" might refer to build, while "Fat" more to body composition.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Can "Fat" refer to non-living things?
Yes, like fat in meat or fat in reference to oil and grease.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Do "Thick" and "Fat" have historical variations in meaning?
Yes, both have evolved in usage and connotation over time.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Is "Thick" ever used in technology?
Sometimes, to describe cables or protective casings.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Is "Fat" used in financial contexts?
Yes, for describing large amounts or profits.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Does "Fat" have cultural significance?
Yes, varying perceptions and meanings in different cultures.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Can "Fat" imply excess in non-physical terms?
Yes, like excessive or unnecessary details in a story.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Can "Fat" describe a person's character?
Informally and metaphorically, but it can be seen as offensive.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Is "Thick" used in art or design?
Yes, to describe lines, textures, or forms.
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
Can "Thick" indicate affectionate relationships?
Informally, as in "thick as thieves."
Shumaila Saeed
Dec 27, 2023
How is "Thick" used in meteorology?
To describe dense atmospheric conditions like fog or cloud cover.
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Dec 27, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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