thickness vs a thickness

Both 'thickness' and 'a thickness' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Thickness' is used when referring to the general concept or measurement of thickness, while 'a thickness' is used when specifying a particular thickness of something.

Last updated: March 29, 2024 • 688 views

This is correct and commonly used in English.

"thickness"

Use 'thickness' when referring to the general concept or measurement of thickness. For example, 'The thickness of the paper is important for printing.'

Examples:

The thickness of the ice was enough to support the weight of the skater.
The thickness of the book's cover made it durable.
The thickness of the hair varies from person to person.
The thickness of the wall insulation determines its effectiveness.
The thickness of the paint layer affects the final color.

Show examples from the web [+]

The width measuring less than twice the thickness
Average thickness of new material under pattern
The result will also be decided by multiplying the length by the thickness.
There are full thickness burns on all exposed surfaces of his face.
Full thickness over the entire chest.
In these cases a comparison was made to the closely resembling product type where the only difference was the substrate thickness.
In these cases a comparison was made to the closely resembling product type where the only difference was the substrate thickness.
The approximate thickness of the HydrogeologicalUnit.
ARTICLE 14 Determination of mesh size and twine thickness
The barrier shall be of such thickness that it weighs at least 70 tonnes.
I have a feeling this isn't about pen thickness.
All parts of the shell shall have a minimum thickness as determined by 6.7.3.4.1 to 6.7.3.4.3.
This thickness shall be exclusive of any corrosion allowance.
Nominal thickness of plastics coating(s): ...
letters under a specified weight or thickness;
We've doubled the thickness of the lead shielding around the machine.
where e is the sheet nominal thickness.
the type of material and its thickness,
AHF is manufactured by rolling aluminium ingots or foil-stock up to the desired thickness.
The aforementioned differences in thickness and width determine to a large extent the basic use of the product.

Alternatives:

width
depth
breadth
size
dimension

This is correct and commonly used in English.

"a thickness"

Use 'a thickness' when specifying a particular thickness of something. For example, 'I need a thickness of 2 millimeters for this material.'

Examples:

I need a thickness of 3 inches for the cake layer.
The recipe calls for a thickness of 1 centimeter for the dough.
Please provide a thickness of 5 millimeters for the glass pane.
The engineer specified a thickness of 4 feet for the concrete slab.
We require a thickness of 10 microns for the coating.

Show examples from the web [+]

With a thickness exceeding 200 µm;
The anti-subsidy proceeding concerning imports of certain plastic sacks and bags containing at least 20 % of polyethylene and of a thickness not exceeding 100 micrometers originating in Malaysia and Thailand is hereby terminated.
They shall be of a thickness such that they are entirely safe, having regard to the distance between two supports and the loads to be withstood.
Manufacture from highly-transparent polyester-foils with a thickness of less than 23 micron [6]or
a polymeric matrix in which silica has been dispersed and of a thickness of not more than 2 μm, or
a silica layer which is deposited through vapour deposition and of a thickness of not more than 1 μm
Cutting, by sawing or otherwise, of stone (even if already sawn) of a thickness exceeding 25 cm
Film of polyethersulfone, of a thickness of not more than 200 μm
Film of a copolymer of ethylene terephthalate and ethylene isophthalate, of a thickness not exceeding 2 μm
Coextruded opaque sheet of poly(ethylene terephthalate), of a thickness of 50 μm or more but not exceeding 350 μm, consisting especially of a layer containing carbon black
Poly(ethylene terephthalate) film, of a thickness of less than 11 μm, for the manufacture of audiodigital tapes for cassettes [1]
Film of white poly(ethylene terephthalate), dyed in the mass, of a thickness of 185 μm or more but not exceeding 253 μm, coated on both sides with an antistatic layer
covered on one side with an acrylic adhesive layer of a thickness of 8 μm or more and with a release sheet,
Copolymer of non-cellular acrylic and methacrylic esters, in the form of film of a thickness of <= 150 micrometres
Biaxially-oriented film of poly(methyl methacrylate), of a thickness of 50 μm or more but not exceeding 90 μm, whether or not covered on one side with an adhesive layer and a release sheet
Film and sheet of a copolymer of ethylene with chlorotrifluoroethylene, of a thickness of 12 μm or more but not exceeding 400 μm
Flat product of polyethylene, perforated in opposing directions, of a thickness of 600 μm or more but not exceeding 1200 μm and of a weight of 21 g/m2 or more but not exceeding 42 g/m2
Polyethylene terephthalate film with a thickness of less than 300 μm according to ASTM D2103, having on one side prisms of acrylic resin with a prism angle of 90o and a prism pitch of 50 μm
Film of polyethylene, of a thickness of 20 μm or more but not exceeding 45 μm, containing calcium carbonate in the mass, for the manufacture of napkins for babies or of sanitary towels or of tampons or of disposable surgical gowns [1]
0 - Other, of a thickness

Alternatives:

a width
a depth
a breadth
a size
a dimension

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

thickness vs a thickness

"thickness"

"a thickness"

Related Comparisons

2. Submit Your Text

3. Receive Your Polished Text