thin on + noun
Showing a lack of something
Thin on means not having enough of something.
The article is thin on detail.
Thin with different prepositions
Thin combines with several prepositions in specific meanings. Thin on is common for lacking something.
Quick answer
Common combinations with thin
Use thin on for lacking something. Thin with can describe a cause of physical thinness. Thin in appears in limited contexts about coverage or distribution. Thin at and thin for are uncommon after the adjective thin.
The report is thin on evidence.
He grew thin with age.
The crowd was thin in the early morning.
He grew thin with age.
The crowd was thin in the early morning.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
thin with + cause
Giving a reason for thinness
Use thin with before a condition or cause.
She became thin with worry.
thin in + area/time
Describing low numbers or coverage
Thin in can describe sparse distribution in a place or period.
Sales were thin in January.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
thin on
The proposal is thin on facts.
lacking enough of something
thin with
He was thin with exhaustion.
made thin because of something
thin in
Traffic is thin in rural areas.
sparse or low in a place
thin at
The audience was thin at first.
at introduces a time expression, not a fixed adjective pattern
thin for
She's thin for her age.
for compares someone with a standard or expectation
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using on for physical thinness
Thin on usually means lacking something, not low body weight.
✕ He is thin on illness. ✓ He is thin with illness.Confusing thin on with short of
Thin on describes insufficient detail or quantity.
✕ The cupboard is thin on milk. ✓ We're short of milk.Treating thin at as a fixed combination
At usually belongs to a time or place phrase after thin.
✕ The store is thin at products. ✓ The store is thin on products.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. The explanation is thin ___ evidence.
2. She grew thin ___ stress.
3. Business is thin ___ winter.
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Frequently asked questions
What does thin on mean?
It means lacking enough of something, especially information or quality.
Can thin with describe emotions or conditions?
Yes. For example, thin with worry or thin with illness.
Is thin for correct?
Yes, in comparisons such as thin for his age.
Related preposition guides
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