chillier; chilliest
1
: noticeably cold : chilling
a chilly day
2
: unpleasantly affected by cold
chilly spectators
3
: lacking warmth of feeling : unfriendly
a chilly reception
4
: tending to arouse fear or apprehension
chilly suspicions
chillily adverb
chilliness noun

Examples of chilly in a Sentence

It's a little chilly outside. You must be chilly without a coat on. They gave him a chilly reception.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During chilly morning boat excursions, hot water bottles appeared on our seats. Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2025 Listen to this article A small group, most wearing light jackets in the chilly May evening, gathered in prayer outside the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City Monday night just hours before Benjamin Ritchie was executed by lethal injection. Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025 These sheets are super chilly to the touch, too, which is no surprise given the name. Nena Farrell, Wired News, 19 May 2025 Compared to the hype the Mets received for adding Soto and the massive storyline about his chilly reception from fans, the pivot to allocating resources on Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, Paul Goldschmidt and Devin Williams seemed slightly under the spotlight in December. Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chilly

Word History

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chilly was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chilly. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

chilly

adjective
chillier; chilliest
1
: noticeably cold
2
: unpleasantly affected by cold
3
: not friendly
a chilly response
chilliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chilly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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