Thread vs. Twine — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 24, 2024
Thread is a fine, thin yarn used primarily for sewing, while twine is a strong, thicker cord made by twisting fibers together.
Difference Between Thread and Twine
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Thread is typically used in sewing to join pieces of fabric or for delicate embroidery work, made from a variety of materials like cotton, polyester, or silk. On the other hand, twine is designed for binding and tying, constructed from heavier materials such as nylon, sisal, or hemp to ensure strength and durability.
While thread comes in a variety of thicknesses and strengths, its primary function remains in the realm of clothing and fine textile work. Twine, however, is favored for its robustness and is commonly used in packaging, crafts, and gardening.
Thread is chosen for its ability to blend seamlessly with fabrics, available in a wide array of colors to match materials precisely. In contrast, twine is typically found in natural or muted colors, prioritizing function over aesthetic considerations.
In terms of manufacturing, threads are often waxed or treated to withstand tension and friction during sewing. Twine, on the other hand, may be treated for weather resistance, making it suitable for outdoor use.
The choice between thread and twine depends on the specific needs of the project, with thread being ideal for delicate, detailed tasks and twine standing out in applications requiring strength and durability.
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Comparison Chart
Use
Sewing, embroidery
Binding, packaging
Material
Cotton, polyester, silk
Nylon, sisal, hemp
Strength
Fine for detailed work
Strong for heavy-duty tasks
Color Options
Wide range, matches fabrics
Limited, usually natural tones
Treatment
Waxed for sewing ease
Weather-resistant for outdoor use
Compare with Definitions
Thread
Material made of interlocked fibers.
The thread of her shirt was smooth and silky.
Twine
A continuous, often tangled line.
The story was a twine of lies and truths.
Thread
A fine, thin yarn used especially for sewing.
She used a strong thread to stitch the torn fabric.
Twine
A strong string made by twisting together strands of natural or synthetic fibers.
He used twine to tie the package securely.
Thread
A helical ridge on a screw.
The bolt's thread was worn and needed replacing.
Twine
Material used for binding or tying.
Twine is often used in gardening to support plants.
Thread
A continuous theme or idea.
The thread of innovation runs through the company's history.
Twine
A twist or turn in a cord.
The twine had a tight, even twist to ensure strength.
Thread
A fine line that holds elements together.
The thread of the narrative held the story together.
Twine
Something twisted or interwoven.
The vines formed a natural twine around the fence.
Thread
Fine cord of a fibrous material, such as cotton or flax, made of two or more filaments twisted together and used in needlework and the weaving of cloth.
Twine
Twine is a strong thread, light string or cord composed of two or more thinner strands twisted, and then twisted together (plied). The strands are plied in the opposite direction to that of their twist, which adds torsional strength to the cord and keeps it from unravelling.
Thread
A piece of such cord.
Twine
Strong thread or string consisting of two or more strands of hemp or cotton twisted together.
Thread
A thin strand, cord, or filament of natural or manufactured material.
Twine
An instance of moaning or complaining
Having a good twine today—well, I am British and we do love complaining!
Thread
Something that suggests the fineness or thinness of such a strand, cord, or filament
A thread of smoke.
Twine
Wind or cause to wind round something
She twined her arms round his neck
The plant will twine round its support
Thread
Something that suggests the continuousness of such a strand, cord, or filament
Lost the thread of his argument.
Twine
Moan; complain
Stop twining on about the snow
Sorry—I don't mean to moan at you. I've twined about it enough over the years
Thread
A helical or spiral ridge on a screw, nut, or bolt.
Twine
To twist together (threads, for example); intertwine.
Thread
A portion of a program that can run independently of and concurrently with other portions of the program.
Twine
To form by twisting, intertwining, or interlacing
Twined the cord from plant fibers.
Thread
A set of posts on a newsgroup, composed of an initial post about a topic and all responses to it.
Twine
To encircle or coil about
A vine twining a tree.
Thread
Threads(Slang)Clothes.
Twine
To wind, coil, or wrap around something
"She was twining a wisp of hair very slowly around her fingers" (Anne Tyler).
Thread
To pass one end of a thread through the eye of (a needle, for example).
Twine
To become twisted, interlaced, or interwoven
The branches of one tree twined with those of another.
Thread
To pass (something) through in the manner of a thread
Thread the wire through the opening.
Twine
To go in a winding course; twist about
A stream twining through the forest.
Thread
To pass a tape or film into or through (a device)
Thread a film projector.
Twine
To wind or coil about something
Morning glories twining about stakes.
Thread
To pass (a tape or film) into or through a device.
Twine
A strong string or cord made of two or more threads twisted together.
Thread
To connect by running a thread through; string
Thread beads.
Twine
Something formed by twining
A twine of leaves.
Thread
(Sports) To throw or send (a pass) through a heavily defended area to a teammate.
Twine
A twist; a convolution.
Thread
To make one's way cautiously through
Threading dark alleys.
Twine
A strong thread composed of two or three smaller threads or strands twisted together, and used for various purposes, as for binding small parcels, making nets, and the like; a small cord or string.
Thread
To make (one's way) cautiously through something.
Twine
The act of twining or winding round.
Thread
To occur here and there throughout; pervade
“More than 90 geologic faults thread the Los Angeles area” (Science News).
Twine
Intimate and suggestive dance gyrations.
Thread
To machine a thread on (a screw, nut, or bolt).
Twine
(transitive) To weave together.
Thread
To remove (body hair) by using a looped thread that has been wound tightly in the middle.
Twine
(transitive) To wind, as one thread around another, or as any flexible substance around another body.
Thread
To make one's way cautiously
Threaded through the shoals and sandbars.
Twine
(transitive) To wind about; to embrace; to entwine.
Thread
To proceed by a winding course.
Twine
(intransitive) To mutually twist together; to become mutually involved; to intertwine.
Thread
To form a thread when dropped from a spoon, as boiling sugar syrup.
Twine
(intransitive) To wind; to bend; to make turns; to meander.
Thread
A long, thin and flexible form of material, generally with a round cross-section, used in sewing, weaving or in the construction of string.
Twine
(intransitive) To ascend in spiral lines about a support; to climb spirally.
Many plants twine.
Thread
A continued theme or idea.
All of these essays have a common thread.
I’ve lost the thread of what you’re saying.
Twine
(obsolete) To turn round; to revolve.
Thread
(engineering) A screw thread.
Twine
(obsolete) To change the direction of.
Thread
A sequence of connections.
Twine
(obsolete) To mingle; to mix.
Thread
The line midway between the banks of a stream.
Twine
A twist; a convolution.
Typhon huge, ending in snaky twine.
Thread
(computing) A unit of execution, lighter in weight than a process, usually sharing memory and other resources with other threads executing concurrently.
Twine
A strong thread composed of two or three smaller threads or strands twisted together, and used for various purposes, as for binding small parcels, making nets, and the like; a small cord or string.
Thread
(Internet) A series of messages, generally grouped by subject, in which all messages except the first are replies to previous messages in the thread.
Twine
The act of twining or winding round.
Thread
A filament, as of a flower, or of any fibrous substance, as of bark.
Twine
To twist together; to form by twisting or winding of threads; to wreathe; as, fine twined linen.
Thread
(figurative) Composition; quality; fineness.
Twine
To wind, as one thread around another, or as any flexible substance around another body.
Let me twineMine arms about that body.
Thread
(transitive) To put thread through.
Thread a needle
Twine
To wind about; to embrace; to entwine.
Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine.
Thread
(transitive) To pass (through a narrow constriction or around a series of obstacles).
I think I can thread my way through here, but it’s going to be tight.
Twine
To change the direction of.
Thread
To screw on; to fit the threads of a nut on a bolt.
Twine
To mingle; to mix.
Thread
(transitive) To remove the hair using a thread.
How to thread your eyebrows and trim them
Twine
To mutually twist together; to become mutually involved.
Thread
A very small twist of flax, wool, cotton, silk, or other fibrous substance, drawn out to considerable length; a compound cord consisting of two or more single yarns doubled, or joined together, and twisted; also, one fiber of a cord composed of multiple fibers.
Twine
To wind; to bend; to make turns; to meander.
As rivers, though they bend and twine,Still to the sea their course incline.
Thread
A filament of any substance, as of glass, gold or silver; a filamentous part of an object, such as a flower; a component fiber of any or of any fibrous substance, as of bark.
Twine
To turn round; to revolve.
Thread
Something continued in a long course or tenor; a recurrent theme or related sequence of events in a larger story; as the thread of a story, or of life, or of a discourse.
Twine
To ascend in spiral lines about a support; to climb spirally; as, many plants twine.
Thread
Fig.: Composition; quality; fineness.
A neat courtier,Of a most elegant thread.
Twine
A lightweight cord
Thread
A related sequence of instructions or actions within a program that runs at least in part independent of other actions within the program; - such threads are capable of being executed only in oprating systems permittnig multitasking.
Twine
Spin or twist together so as to form a cord;
Intertwine the ribbons
Twine the threads into a rope
Thread
A sequence of messages posted to an on-line newsgroup or discussion group, dealing with the same topic; - messages in such a thread typically refer to a previous posting, thus allowing their identification as part of the thread. Some news-reading programs allow a user to follow a single such thread independent of the other postings to that newsgroup.
Twine
Coil around;
Wisteria twining the fence posts
Thread
To pass a thread through the eye of; as, to thread a needle.
Twine
Wrap or coil around;
Roll your hair around your finger
Twine the thread around the spool
Thread
To pass or pierce through as a narrow way; also, to effect or make, as one's way, through or between obstacles; to thrid.
Heavy trading ships . . . threading the Bosphorus.
They would not thread the gates.
Twine
Make by twisting together or intertwining;
Twine a rope
Thread
To form a thread, or spiral rib, on or in; as, to thread a screw or nut.
Twine
Form into a spiral shape;
The cord is all twisted
Thread
A fine cord of twisted fibers (of cotton or silk or wool or nylon etc.) used in sewing and weaving
Thread
Any long object resembling a thin line;
A mere ribbon of land
The lighted ribbon of traffic
From the air the road was a gray thread
A thread of smoke climbed upward
Thread
The connections that link the various parts of an event or argument together;
I couldn't follow his train of thought
He lost the thread of his argument
Thread
The raised helical rib going around a screw
Thread
To move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course;
The river winds through the hills
The path meanders through the vineyards
Sometimes, the gout wanders through the entire body
Thread
Pass a thread through;
Thread a needle
Thread
Remove facial hair by tying a fine string around it and pulling at the string;
She had her eyebrows threaded
Thread
Pass through or into;
Thread tape
Thread film
Thread
Thread on or as if on a string;
String pearls on a string
The child drew glass beads on a string
Thread dried cranberries
Common Curiosities
Is thread or twine stronger?
Twine is typically stronger and more durable than thread.
Can twine be used for sewing?
Twine is generally too thick and rough for sewing, better suited for tasks requiring strength like tying and bundling.
Are there different types of thread?
Yes, there are many types of thread, including cotton, polyester, and silk, each with different properties.
Can thread be used outdoors?
While some threads are treated to be more durable, twine is usually better suited for outdoor use due to its resistance to weather.
What are some common colors for thread?
Thread comes in virtually every color to match fabrics in sewing projects.
Are there waterproof varieties of twine?
Yes, some twines are treated to be resistant to water and weather conditions.
Is twine suitable for embroidery?
No, twine is too coarse for detailed embroidery, which is best done with finer threads.
How do the thicknesses of thread and twine compare?
Thread is generally finer and thinner, while twine is thicker and made for strength.
What is the primary use of thread?
Thread is primarily used for sewing and embroidery.
What materials are commonly used to make twine?
Twine is often made from materials like nylon, sisal, or hemp.
What are some common uses for twine in the home?
Twine is commonly used for crafting, packaging, and gardening.
Can the color of twine vary?
Yes, but it is generally available in more natural or muted colors compared to thread.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
