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cold shoulder
noun
: intentionally cold or unsympathetic treatment
got the cold shoulder from an old friend
Examples of cold shoulder in a Sentence
at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder
Recent Examples on the Web
The voluminous tulle piece included cold shoulders and a corseted bodice, and was paired with dazzling diamond drop earrings and stacks of diamond bracelets and rings.
—Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 2 May 2023
China’s cold shoulder to a hotline call from Washington underscores glaring misunderstandings in the U.S.-China relationship and key differences in how the two sides view crisis management.
—Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Mar. 2023
Elspeth is a virtuoso at the warm sun/cold shoulder art of manipulation, whose elegant gazes of cool disapproval can slam doors.
—Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 29 Nov. 2023
The standout episode of 2023 was one on plus sizes, which explored why there are such subpar options available for a majority of the country’s consumers (and why every plus-size top has cold shoulders).
—Jenny Singer, Glamour, 21 Dec. 2023
Consider the closing look, a liquid gold floor-length looker featuring a cape and cold shoulder.
—Erik Maza, Town & Country, 9 Sep. 2023
Viewers were increasingly turning a cold shoulder to the gusher of shows from new streaming services trying to catch up with Netflix, and studios and streamers alike are expected to focus on a smaller number of high-quality shows.
—Samantha Chery, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Should a state go rogue, the theory has it, the international order will punish it with a cold shoulder diplomatically and economically.
—Eugene Kontorovich, WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023
This cold shoulder mini comes in 25 colors, and offers a relaxed fit for easy wearing.
—Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 30 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cold shoulder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1816, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cold shoulder
Cite this Entry
“Cold shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20shoulder. Accessed 24 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
cold shoulder
noun
: treatment that is purposely unfriendly
cold-shoulder
verb
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