often attributive
1
a
: frozen water
b
: a sheet or stretch of ice
2
: a substance resembling ice
especially
: the solid state of a substance usually found as a gas or liquid
ammonia ice in the rings of Saturn
3
: a state of coldness (as from formality or reserve)
4
a
: a frozen dessert containing a flavoring (such as fruit juice)
especially
: one containing no milk or cream
b
British
: a serving of ice cream
6
: an undercover premium paid to a theater employee for choice theater tickets
7
iced; icing
1
a
: to coat with or convert into ice
b
: to chill with ice
c
: to supply with ice
2
: to cover with or as if with icing
3
: to put on ice
4
: secure sense 1b
made two free throws … to ice the win—
Jack McCallum
Jack McCallum5
: to shoot (an ice hockey puck) the length of the rink and beyond the opponents' goal line
6
slang
: kill sense 1a
1
: to become ice-cold
2
a
: to become covered with ice
—often used with up or over
b
: to have ice form inside
əs
: act
service
: quality
justice
: condition
cowardice
Iceland
1
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
In March 2003, the Homeland Security Act set into motion what would be the single-largest government reorganization since the creation of the Department of Defense. One of the agencies in the new Department of Homeland Security was the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, now known as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE.—www.ice.gov/history
www.ice.gov/history2
in case of emergency
Enter an ICE (in case of emergency) listing in the address book of your cell phone. Place the ICE acronym next to a person who can assist emergency workers if any important medical decisions need to be made.—Andrew Weil
Andrew Weil3
internal combustion engine
4
International Cultural Exchange
Examples of ice in a Sentence
Noun
The steps were coated with ice.
Ice formed on the car's windows.
The ice melted quickly in the hot sun.
She skated out onto the ice.
He almost fell through a hole in the ice.
Fill the glass with ice.
He gave her some ice for her birthday.
Verb
Ice the glasses before you fill them.
with that win, the team has pretty much iced a spot in the play-offs
Recent Examples on the Web
Emilie Takahashi, Oc Register, 24 June 2025
Just one, a 50-year-old ship, can break through 20 feet of ice.
—Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 24 June 2025
The moist and delicious cake is frosted with vanilla icing and finished.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ice
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
If a minor burn injury does occur, Dunkelman advises residents not to apply ice, but instead rinse the burn with room temperature water and seek the nearest burn center.
—Emilie Takahashi, Oc Register, 24 June 2025
Just one, a 50-year-old ship, can break through 20 feet of ice.
—Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
Verb
Vanilla Cookies & Kreme Liberty Crunch Doughnut: An unglazed shell doughnut filled with vanilla cookies & Kreme filling, dipped in white icing and topped with vanilla cookies, patriotic sprinkles and white icing drizzle.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 24 June 2025
The moist and delicious cake is frosted with vanilla icing and finished.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ice
Cite this Entry
“Ice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ice. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ice
1 of 2 noun1
a
: frozen water
b
: a sheet of frozen water
skating on the ice
2
: a state of coldness (as in personal behavior)
3
: a substance resembling ice
4
: a frozen dessert usually made with sweetened fruit juice
ice
2 of 2 verb
iced; icing
1
a
: to coat or become coated with ice
b
: to chill with ice
2
: to cover with icing
Medical Definition
ice
noun1
: frozen water
2
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