cold 1 of 3

adjective

ˈkōld How to pronounce cold (audio)
Definition of coldnext
1
as in freezing
having a low or subnormal temperature the cold climate of the Yukon an unusually cold spring that was followed by a sweltering summer

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2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling the prisoners got only a cold stare when they tried to befriend the guard

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3
as in distant
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others received a cold reception from the hostess

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4
as in unconscious
having lost consciousness the boxer was out cold for a few minutes

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5
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the couple practiced a cold civility with each other, but they hadn't had a heart-to-heart talk in years

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6
as in fallen
no longer living paramedics tried to revive him, but he was already cold

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cold

2 of 3

noun

as in freeze
a weather condition marked by low temperatures the cold will stay with us for another day, then temperatures should rise

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cold

3 of 3

adverb

as in plain

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cold
Adjective
This specialized process, known as cold ablation, makes the lasers ideal for delicate manufacturing and surgical applications. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026 For beer, Rochester brewed a variety of cold ones, like English pub ales, Mexican-style lagers, IPAs and stouts. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
Ranchers work out together and suffer together, cold-plunging in a single file and schvitzing in a windowed sauna. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Although the city, bound by a freakishly heavy snowfall and bitter cold, was hard to traverse, Dylan, now with plenty of time on his hands, got around. — Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Or serve it cold spooned over Brie cheese. — Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 1 June 2026 It will be equipped to process and service new steel products coming down the line at Big River like galvanized and cold-rolled steel. — Arkansas Online, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold
  1. freezing
  2. icy
  3. distant
  4. unconscious
  5. dark
  6. fallen
  7. freeze
  8. plain
Adjective
  • Freeze Warning The stronger of the two alerts, this warning calls for sub-freezing temperatures dropping as low as 30 degrees.
    — Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, sudden freezing temperatures can cause materials to fracture easily.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of freezing
Adjective
  • In winter, some wetlands become more accessible as thick, spongelike layers of organic-rich peat freeze solid and become strong enough to support snow machines on their icy surfaces.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Set against the Swiss Alps, the story follows an Englishman (Spall) found barely alive in an icy mountain stream by local woman Alma (Deleila Piasko) and her young son, Franz.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • Once such fallacious arguments were enthusiastically embraced, the horror of the Shoah was not far distant.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • While officials insist the demolitions are a non-negotiable step toward revitalizing the corridor along Old National Highway, the families and owners left in the wake of the bulldozers say true recovery remains a distant promise.
    — La'Tasha Givens, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of distant
Adjective
  • Together, the four officers dragged the unconscious man into the hallway.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Like Dominique Pelicot, the French man who used the online chat platform Coco to recruit men to rape his drugged and unconscious wife, the @SteveCumfulls of the world thrive on the internet’s reach and de-facto anonymity.
    — Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of unconscious
Adjective
  • In these situations, withdrawing into a literal or symbolic dark room—avoiding sources of stress and going to a safe place—can be adaptive in the short term.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Connie Britton and Sam Nivola lead the series created by Nick Paley that blends mystery, dark comedy and the awkwardness of adolescence.
    — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Brown and her relatives say the fallen officer tragedy has reignited their trauma and desperation for justice.
    — Liz Crawford, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Florida deaths involved a fallen tree and a man found in a closed garage with a running generator.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of fallen
Noun
  • Officials said that parents and guardians may want to consider requesting a free credit freeze for their children who are under 16 to help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in the names of their children.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • This sets up the possibility of the season’s first freeze across parts of the Kansas City forecast area and a first frost for much of the rest of the region.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of freeze
Adverb
  • Is this tobacco-spitting, plain-talking Jon Sumrall a coaching amalgamation of Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer?
    — Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • For a movie that had once been generating top Oscar buzz, including a potential first win for Cruise, it has since been hit with critiques that have described it as baffling, brilliant or just plain bad.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of plain

Phrases Containing cold

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col
cold
cold-blooded
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Cite this Entry

“Cold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cold

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cold

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