answer:Yes, squats will build up thigh muscle. Be careful of your knees. Here’s the harsh reality regarding loosing fat. Humans can’t spot reduce. Trying to reduce the fat in a particular area of your body is kind of like trying to tell your car to burn only the gasoline in the upper right hand portion of the tank. It just doesn’t work that way. Here’s the good news, building muscle will make your thighs look leaner, even though it won’t do anything for circumference. Your best bet there is to reduce your overall body fat (which will include your legs). On a personal note, many men, myself included, happen to like athletic thighs. I married an ex-competitive ice skater. She could crack walnuts between those well muscled legs!