bone-chilling

adjective

bone-chill·​ing ˈbōn-ˌchi-liŋ 

: intensely cold

bone-chilling weather

also : penetrating, disturbing, or intense in emotional or physical effect

bone-chilling drama

a bone-chilling wind

Synonyms

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

Examples of bone-chilling in a Sentence

we stood in line for hours in the bone-chilling weather

Recent Examples on the Web

Using an ice chamber, the team froze mixtures of water, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia to a bone-chilling –420 degrees Fahrenheit (-253 degrees Celsius), mimicking frigid conditions near the moon's surface. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025

Universal Studios Hollywood chefs have rolled out a bone-chilling lineup of food and drink items themed to Friday the 13th, Terrifier, Five Nights at Freddy’s and Fallout for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 11 Sep. 2025

Ready to dive into the bone-chilling world of The Conjuring? —Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025

Armed with her signature razor-sharp wit and deadpan charm, Wednesday is also plunged into a new bone-chilling supernatural mystery. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1861, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bone-chilling

• backfilling
• distilling
• fulfilling
• infilling
• instilling
• refilling
• sawmilling
• unwilling
• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling