chillier; chilliest
Synonyms of chillynext
1
: noticeably cold : chilling
a chilly day
2
: unpleasantly affected by cold
chilly spectators
3
: lacking warmth of feeling : unfriendly
a chilly reception
4
: tending to arouse fear or apprehension
chilly suspicions
chillily adverb
chilliness noun

Examples of chilly in a Sentence

It's a little chilly outside. You must be chilly without a coat on. They gave him a chilly reception.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Chicago area closets have outfits for all kinds of weather — swimsuits and T-shirts for hot days, and heavy coats and scarves for chilly ones. David Yeomans, CBS News, 13 Apr. 2026 Ellen Pompeo takes a chillier approach, always looking for hotels with cold plunges. Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026 On the bright, chilly morning after Vance’s speech boosting Orbán, NBC News visited the Central European University. Alexander Smith, NBC news, 11 Apr. 2026 After the cold front has passed, the air mass will be chilly and unsettled behind it. Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chilly

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chilly was in 1567

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilly. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

chilly

adjective
chillier; chilliest
1
: noticeably cold
2
: unpleasantly affected by cold
3
: not friendly
a chilly response
chilliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chilly

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster