chilly

play

adjective \ ˈchi-lē \

Definition of chilly

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

play \ˈchi-lə-lē\ adverb

—

chilliness

play \ˈchi-lē-nəs\ noun

See chilly defined for English-language learners

See chilly defined for kids

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 of chilly from the Web

Moniz said the two sides could be working on nonproliferation issues despite the chilly relationship.

— chicagotribune.com, "A uranium bank just opened in Kazakhstan to stop the spread of nukes," 29 Aug. 2017
Moniz said the two sides could be working on nonproliferation issues despite the chilly relationship.

— david filipov, Washington Post, "A uranium bank just opened in Kazakhstan to stop the spread of nukes," 29 Aug. 2017
Border Patrol agents spotted the Mexican national guiding 15 people across mountainous, rocky terrain in Jacumba on a chilly night in Nov. 15, 2015.

— david hernandez, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Human smuggler gets prison for striking Border Patrol agent with rock," 28 Aug. 2017
The sisters co-owned the bakery on Somerville Road and were working at the business when Roger Stevens showed up that chilly Saturday morning.

— ashley remkus, AL.com, "Death penalty won't be sought if Decatur man convicted of gunning down ex-wife at bakery," 23 Aug. 2017
Scott often has had a chilly relationship with the gay community.

— mike schneider, The Seattle Times, "Lawmaker: Florida governor’s office broke promise to LGBTQs," 9 Aug. 2017
The chilly, crisp slices were a perfect contrast to the spicy, still-hot chicken.

— ellise pierce, star-telegram, "Crisp, cool cucumbers make summer dining more refreshing," 1 Aug. 2017
Waders are needed to enter the river at low flow because of the chilly water.

— frank sargeant, AL.com, "Trout tagging study in Sipsey Fork," 9 July 2017
In his second, the chilly welcome intensified before another infield ground out.

— bryce miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Matt Kemp's polish, not production, fueled awkward Padres exit," 27 June 2017

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

First Known Use of chilly

1570

chilly Synonyms

Synonyms

bitter, bleak, chill, chilling, nipping, nippy, raw, sharp

Antonyms

cordial, friendly, genial, happy, hearty, sympathetic, warm, warm-blooded, warmhearted

Related Words

bracing, brisk, crisp, invigorating, rigorous, snappy; arctic, bitter, cold, coolish, freezing, frigid, frosty, glacial, ice-cold, icy, numbing, polar, shivery, wintry (also wintery); subfreezing, subzero; frore, frosted, frozen, iced, refrigerated, unheated

Near Antonyms

balmy, warm; lukewarm, tepid; heated, warmed

CHILLY Defined for English Language Learners

chilly

play

adjective

Definition of chilly for English Language Learners

: noticeably cold
: feeling cold
: noticeably unfriendly

CHILLY Defined for Kids

chilly

play

adjective \ ˈchi-lē \

Definition of chilly for Students

chillier; chilliest

:noticeably cold

a chilly morning

Learn More about chilly

See words that rhyme with chilly Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for chilly Spanish Central: Translation of chilly Nglish: Translation of chilly for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of chilly for Arabic speakers

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CHILLY Defined for English Language Learners

chilly

Definition of chilly for English Language Learners

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