chill

noun \ ˈchil \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of chill

1 a : a sensation of cold accompanied by shivering

b : a disagreeable sensation of coldness

2 : a moderate but disagreeable degree of cold

3 : a check to enthusiasm or warmth of feeling

See chill defined for English-language learners

See chill defined for kids

Examples of chill in a Sentence

There was a chill in the autumn air.
He closed the windows to keep out the chill.
Her symptoms include chills and a fever.
He caught a chill that turned into a bad cold.
The novel's final scene gave him the chills.
Her words sent chills down my spine.

Recent Examples of chill from the Web

Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and tiredness.

— julie washington, cleveland.com, "Flu season 2018 lasting longer than normal, strain B hitting now," 6 Apr. 2018
Some people, like Miranda, experience symptoms of a viral infection, such as headache, fever, chills, fatigue, or nausea.

— blake bakkila, Health.com, "Lin-Manuel Miranda Has Quarantined Himself After His Shingles Diagnosis—Here’s Why," 6 Apr. 2018
Children who develop a sudden fever of 101 degrees or higher, or who have body aches, chills, shakes, a dry cough, are acting lethargic and refusing to drink should see a doctor right away.

— kate morgan, The Cut, "What to Know About Influenza B, the ‘Second Wave’ of Flu Season," 4 Apr. 2018
But the father rushed out the door in sandals, ignoring the winter chill, as soon as the son began to sing of their five-year separation.

— adam geller, Fox News, "Trump policies split some refugee families; others reunite," 27 Mar. 2018
But the father rushed out the door in sandals, ignoring the winter chill, as soon as the son began to sing of their five-year separation.

— adam geller, OrlandoSentinel.com, "As fewer refugees arrive under the Trump administration, Florida's numbers drop," 26 Mar. 2018
Walter recalls making chocolate eggs as a child with paraffin wax as a tempering agent — a memory that as a small-batch chocolatier now gives her chills.

— elisa ludwig, Philly.com, "How to make your own Easter candy at home," 26 Mar. 2018
However, a late-winter chill, along with ongoing farm labor shortages, led to that first round of asparagus being scrapped.

— sarah fritsche, San Francisco Chronicle, "Everything you need to know about Bay Area asparagus season," 22 Mar. 2018
Headache that never goes away. Systemic symptoms (fevers, chills, weight loss, night sweats).

— erik j. blutinger, Philly.com, "Medical mystery: A pounding headache, a big surprise," 22 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chill.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chill

Middle English chile chill, frost, from Old English ciele; akin to Old English ceald cold

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

chill Synonyms

chill

adjective

Definition of chill

1 a : moderately cold

b : cold, raw

2 : affected by cold

chill travelers

3 : distant, formal

a chill reception

4 : depressing, dispiriting

chill penury
—Thomas Gray

5 informal : having a laid-back style or easy demeanor

She looked just like Joey Potter … Really young and super chill. No one was paying any attention. It was a laid-back situation.
—Emma Pearse

We're very casual. I love how at City Hall people come in everything from wedding gowns to jeans. It's so mellow and chill, just how we like it.
—Erin Burnett

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chillness

noun

See chill defined for English-language learners

Examples of chill in a Sentence

The chill weather kept us indoors.
were met with a chill gaze when they arrived home late from the party

Recent Examples of chill from the Web

Turns out [the Brady-Bündchen household] was a pretty chill scene.

— sara morosi, WSJ, "WSJ. Magazine Contributors: April 2018," 5 Apr. 2018
And Red wasn’t even the chillest Gerard at the Olympics that day.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "Cool Teen Red Gerard Overslept Before Winning Olympic Gold," 12 Feb. 2018
Aside from an angelic face, a decidedly chill demeanor, and a photo-ready pout, Asahd made his mark with his glossy baby ringlets furthered by a fade at each side, another echo of his father's trademark 'do.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "DJ Khaled's Son Asahd Wins Best Hair at the 2018 Grammy Awards," 29 Jan. 2018
The ripest fruit, the hottest grills, the chillest drinks.

— Bon Appetit, "Cook Like a Pro 2017," 19 Sep. 2017
In DiCaprio's universe, hard work = good style (and off-duty hours are saved for the chillest of lazy day outfits).

— liza corsillo, GQ, "Here's Leonardo DiCaprio Proving You Look Good When You're Doing Good," 13 Sep. 2017
So go ahead and pack up for Milwaukee, which, with its 41-hour work week and 3.4-hour weekly commute, ranks as the chillest large city in the United States.

— dennis tang, Esquire, "Are These the Worst Commutes in America?," 18 Mar. 2015
Panna cotta Prep time: 20 minutes Chill time: 4 hours to overnight Serves 6 Karen Austin of Grass Valley was looking for an easy, elegant dessert to serve company.

— teri mena, sacbee, "Recipe Mailbox: Panna cotta," 15 Aug. 2017
Making these space-age, leave-nothing-to the-imagination clothes look chill and effortless takes skill—and at least a few muscles.

— megan gustashaw, GQ, "Justin Timberlake’s Chill Gym Style is a Lesson in Layering," 10 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of chill

15th century

chill Synonyms

Synonyms

black, bleak, cheerless, cloudy, cold, comfortless, dark, darkening, depressing, depressive, desolate, dire, disconsolate, dismal, drear, dreary, elegiac (also elegiacal), forlorn, funereal, gloomy, glum, godforsaken, gray (also grey), lonely, lonesome, lugubrious, miserable, morbid, morose, murky, saturnine, sepulchral, solemn, somber (or sombre), sullen, sunless, wretched;

Antonyms

bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive, gay, heartwarming, sunshiny;

Near Antonyms

blithe, blithesome, buoyant, gay, jocund, jolly, joyful, joyous, merry, mirthful;

encouraging, hopeful, optimistic;

lighthearted, lightsome;

dim, discomfiting, discouraging, disheartening, dismaying, dispiriting, distressful, distressing, upsetting;

desperate, hopeless, pessimistic;

lamentable, mournful, plaintive, sorrowful;

colorless, drab, dull;

dour, grim, lowering (also louring), lowery (also loury), menacing, oppressive, threatening;

chill

verb

Definition of chill

intransitive verb

1 a : to become cold

b : to shiver or quake with or as if with cold

2 : to become taken with a chill

3 a : chill out

b : hang 12

transitive verb

1 a : to make cold or chilly

chilled by a cold wind

b : to make cool especially without freezing

chill the wine

2 : to affect as if with cold : dispirit

See chill defined for English-language learners

Examples of chill in a Sentence

Chill the dessert for one hour before serving it.
Let the dessert chill for one hour before serving it.
Here's a ghost story that will chill you.
Her screams chilled me to the bone .
a horrible sight that chilled my bones
He thinks his parents are way too uptight and says they should just chill.
I decided to stay home and chill.

Recent Examples of chill from the Web

So, as James Gorman reports for the New York Times, scientists at Kyoto University recently set out to study the snow monkeys of Jigokudani, to shed some light on why the critters enjoy chilling in hot springs.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Chilling Out in Hot Springs May Help Japan’s Snow Monkeys Reduce Stress," 5 Apr. 2018
In recent years, the 2016 Sox home opener was played in chilling 35-degree weather with a mixture of rain and snow, and in 2007 some flurries fell during the Cubs home debut.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Ask Tom: Has it ever snowed for both Sox, Cubs home openers?," 5 Apr. 2018
The shot is spine-chilling: Away from Gilead, Luke (O-T Fagbenle) promises to keep searching for June and their daughter, and Moira (Samira Wiley) looks to have found love.

— julie kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "The New Handmaid's Tale Trailer Teases June's Great Escape," 28 Mar. 2018
Netflix’s new documentary series, Wild Wild Country, opens with a clap of thunder and a large man in overalls named John Silvertooth telling a chilling tale.

— emilia petrarca, The Cut, "I Want This Cult’s Look," 28 Mar. 2018
Germain Sparkler Makes 1 serving 1 ½ ounces grapefruit juice 1 ounce St. Germain liqueur Champagne, chilledPour grapefruit juice and St. Germain in a Champagne flute.

— alysha witwicki, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Easter brunch menu is equally special for any spring affair," 28 Mar. 2018
Keep all ingredients chilled in refrigerator until ready to use.

— ann maloney, NOLA.com, "How to make Whole Food's Berry Chantilly Cake at home," 27 Mar. 2018
The beauty entrepreneur and new mom shared two photos of herself casually chilling in a Bentley, just 11 days after welcoming another human into the world.

— mehera bonner, Marie Claire, "Kylie Jenner Shares First Post-Baby Photos on Instagram," 13 Feb. 2018
But there have also been chilling reminders of violence, as on the night last summer when a man fired a .38-caliber revolver into a police command post two miles from Yankee Stadium, killing an officer inside.

— james barron, New York Times, "New York City’s Population Hits a Record 8.6 Million," 22 Mar. 2018