1
as in chilly
having a low or subnormal temperature
bring a jacket, as it's a little nippy outside
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spicy
having a powerfully stimulating odor or flavor
blue cheese is a little too nippy for my taste
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brisk
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed
racing around the neighborhood on a nippy scooter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
a nippy wind that chilled parade watchers to the bone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nippy
Oscar Ortiz was particularly nippy down the left, Bertoni was highly energetic down the right, and Leopoldo Luque was a good foil for Kempes, scoring a spectacular long-range strike against France.
—
Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
The Lost Valley is home to a simulated dinosaur chase through a jungle as well as a nippy roller coaster which heads out into the desert.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Despite the nippy wind by the lake, Montrose Beach had a busy Sunday: families gathered on picnic blankets to celebrate Mother’s Day, and seagulls, killdeer and red-winged blackbirds scoured for food among the waves that washed ashore.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
With it, there’s no need to haul up a turtleneck or coat collar in the nippy wind or rain.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Michael Cox, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
The Lost Valley is home to a simulated dinosaur chase through a jungle as well as a nippy roller coaster which heads out into the desert.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Despite the nippy wind by the lake, Montrose Beach had a busy Sunday: families gathered on picnic blankets to celebrate Mother’s Day, and seagulls, killdeer and red-winged blackbirds scoured for food among the waves that washed ashore.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
With it, there’s no need to haul up a turtleneck or coat collar in the nippy wind or rain.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nippy
Adjective
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Monochrome Fit Summer weather can be unpredictable, with chilly mornings and blistering hot afternoons.—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
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Lopez has stepped out in Paris twice wearing a similar go-to uniform, including a breezy, lightweight outer layer that is ideal for chilly summer nights or rainy afternoons.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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This sweet and spicy guacamole contains chunks of golden mango mixed with a combination of jalapeño peppers and habanero pepper purée, plus onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, and, of course, Hass variety avocados.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
23 June 2026
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Even the sweet-and-spicy combinations showing up on menus this summer usually start with a base of garlic or ginger.—
Ascend Agency,
Sun Sentinel,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
Maddie’s Secret by John Early is doing brisk business at the IFC Center as screenings fill up for opening weekend of the Magnolia Pictures’ comedy.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
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Even so, her spiral downward to near death before ending up in treatment is ridiculously, gloriously brisk.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Some human rights experts have said that detaining such a high-ranking and high-profile doctor has left a chilling effect.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
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The commemoration this year highlights a trend toward a chilling erasure of history, culture and achievements of African-Americans.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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To prevent that, some operators maintain low oil flow rates, akin to dripping a faucet in freezing cold weather to avoid frozen pipes.—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
24 June 2026
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Aging And The Long Game Of Leadership The conversation around aging often centers on biohackers seeking to lower their biological age through cold plunges, red light therapy, and peptides.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2026
Adjective
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The body was inside a bag in the trunk of a gray vehicle, which was opened by police due to its pungent smell.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
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The body was inside a bag in the trunk of a gray vehicle, which was opened by police due to its pungent smell.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
23 June 2026
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Improvements in blood tests, meanwhile, dovetail with rapid developments in treatments for various cancers, making the disease ever more survivable or even curable.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
22 June 2026
Adjective
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The whiskey components this year were aged between four and 12 years, and the final blend was finished in barrels previously used to age The Prisoner Red Blend California wine from six months to more than two years, and bottled non-chill filtered at 101 proof.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
18 June 2026
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Stone Fruit Care Considerations Stone fruit success depends on selecting varieties with the correct chill-hour requirements for your region—and be sure to look at your precise location.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nippy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nippy. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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