Thickened aqueous coating compositions containing film-forming polymeric binder

A thickened aqueous coating composition (preferably paints and the like or adhesives) containing a film-forming polymeric binder which produces dried coatings having less sensitivity to water by using a thickener which is autoxidizable. Preferred autoxidizable moieties are provided by long chain fatty acids of the type used in alkyd paints and association is the preferred thickener mechanism. The moieties may form part of a compound which can take part in a copolymerization to form a cellulose-free polymeric backbone for the thickener and if the compound is not very soluble in water, the copolymerization mixture is subjected to intensive agitation to form droplets of less than 500 nm number average diameter which compensates for the lack of solubility. The thickener may serve as a binder if sufficient amounts are used.