viscous

/ˈvɪskəs/ (bre, ipa) · [vˈɪskəs] /ˈvɪskəs/ (ame, ipa) · [vˈɪskəs] /ˈvi-skəs How to pronounce viscous (audio)/ (ame, mw)

viscous — adjective

  • viscouspositive
  • more viscouscomparative
  • most viscoussuperlative

1. describes a liquid that is so thick and sticky that it pours very slowly, like h

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes a liquid that is so thick and sticky that it pours very slowly, like honey or warm tar.

例句

The honey was so viscous that it took a minute to drip off the spoon.

so viscous that — cause-and-effect construction with that-clause

After cooling, the sauce became viscous and clung to the back of the spoon.

同義詞
  • thick

    more general and common in everyday speech; less technical than viscous

  • sticky

    emphasises adhesion rather than resistance to flow

  • syrupy

    suggests a consistency like syrup; can also imply something is overly sentimental

  • gooey

    informal; describes a soft, sticky, semi-liquid texture

反義詞
  • runny

    flows very easily, opposite of thick

  • watery

    very thin, with a consistency like water

文法句型

be + viscous

viscous + noun

用法筆記

Common in scientific and technical writing about fluids such as honey, oil, paint, and magma. In everyday conversation, speakers more often use 'thick' or 'sticky'.

常見錯誤

❌This oil is not very viscous, it pours easily.
✅This oil is not very thick, it pours easily.
💡'viscous' is a technical term; use 'thick' in casual contexts.
❌The soup tastes viscous.
✅The soup has a thick consistency.
💡'viscous' describes physical flow properties, not flavour or mouthfeel.