cold call

noun

Synonyms of cold callnext
: a telephone call soliciting business made directly to a potential customer without prior contact or without a lead
cold-call verb

Examples of cold call in a Sentence

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.
The president takes questions from reporters regularly—sometimes in a gaggle, sometimes in cold calls on his phone. David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026 As The Atlantic reported, interviews with the president were once most commonly planned and not cold calls. Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026 Older generations, who have lived in a time when traditional phone calls were the primary means of communication (and spam), tend to be more susceptible to cold calls, which can lead to their victimization. Karen Koehler, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026 Not surprisingly, Kidd gets quite a few cold calls. Erik Matuszewski, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cold call

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cold call was in 1966

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cold call.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20call. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

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