freezing

1 of 2

adjective

freez·​ing ˈfrē-ziŋ 

1

: very cold

"Put on your jacket. It's freezing outside!"

Addy rushed home through the darkening streets as if she were pushed along by the wind. She was freezing!

—Connie Porter

2

: being at or below the temperature at which water freezes

a forecast for freezing temperatures overnight

freezing adverb

The weather was freezing cold. [=very cold]

freezingly adverb

freezingly cold temperatures

Mrs. Reed's hands still lay on her work inactive: her eye of ice continued to dwell freezingly on mine.

—Charlotte Brontë

freezing

2 of 2

noun

: the temperature at which water freezes

temperatures dipping below freezing

Synonyms of freezing

Adjective

• cold
• icy
• frigid
• chilly
• chill
• cool

Examples of freezing in a Sentence

Adjective

why aren't you wearing a coat, as it's freezing outside?

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As global temperatures rise, the freezing line where precipitation changes from rain to snow moves up the mountains, shrinking the area capable of sustaining a seasonal snowpack. —Imtiaz Rangwala, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2026

Are within 5 nautical miles, more than 4,500 feet thick, and extend into freezing temperatures (unless radar and cloud-altitude criteria are met). —Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026

Noun

Monday night gets cold, with many areas well into the 30s and even close to or at freezing in the city. —Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026

Temperatures Monday are expected to reach a high in the high 30s and a low just below freezing during the night, forecasts show. —Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing freezing

• freezing point
• freezing rain

Rhymes for freezing

• easing
• pleasing
• seizing
• sneezing
• squeezing
• teasing
• wheezing
• appeasing
• displeasing