chilly

adjective

ˈchi-lē 

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

ˈchi-lə-lē 

adverb

chilliness

ˈchi-lē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of chilly

• chilling
• chill
• bleak
• bitter
• cold
• frigid
• brisk
• icy
• freezing

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

Another push of cooler air arrives Friday, bringing highs back into the lower 60s, followed by a chilly Friday night and Saturday morning with possible frost. — Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Lightweight blankets are soft and comfortable for curling up on a chilly evening. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026

This is the perfect everyday sweater to toss in your purse for chilly office air, or in your personal item bag for when the plane’s cabin air gets cold. — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2026

The junior quarterback led Pieper to a 62-31 win over East Central on a chilly homecoming night. — Christina Huang, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for chilly

• billie
• billy
• chilli
• dilly
• filly
• frilly
• gillie
• gilly
• hilly
• lily
• philly
• really

Kids Definition

chilly

adjective

ˈchil-ē 

chillier; chilliest

1

: noticeably cold

2

: unpleasantly affected by cold

3

: not friendly

a chilly response

chilliness noun