cold-blooded

adjective

cold-blood·​ed ˈkōl(d)-ˈblə-dəd 

1

a

: done or acting without consideration, compunction, or clemency

cold-blooded murder

b

: matter-of-fact, emotionless

a cold-blooded assessment

2

: having cold blood

specifically : having a body temperature not internally regulated but approximating that of the environment

3

or coldblood

ˈkōl(d)-ˈbləd 

: of mixed or inferior breeding

4

: noticeably sensitive to cold

cold-bloodedly adverb

cold-bloodedness noun

Synonyms of cold-blooded

• ruthless
• merciless

Examples of cold-blooded in a Sentence

a cold-blooded criminal who never once showed an ounce of mercy to his victims

the cold-blooded selfishness shown by the miser when confronted by people in need

a cold-blooded assessment of the situation showed that the company needed either to lay off workers or go bankrupt

he may not be as fancy as the other horses they own, but that cold-blooded gelding is safe and gentle

Recent Examples on the Web

The chilling new detail about Jesus Acosta’s horrific spree was revealed at the 31-year-old ex-con’s arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court late Sunday, where he was ordered held without bail for the two cold-blooded shootings. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

Prosecutors also described the killings of Tyrek Hill, 25, and Timothy Schmidt, 19, as spontaneous and cold-blooded, his targets picked randomly among the tens of thousands of partygoers that night. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026

But there was also a kinetic, cold-blooded hazing environment thanks to the large swath of unruly cadets of all ages and backgrounds. — Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026

Like all sea turtle species, loggerheads are cold-blooded and rely on warm ocean temperatures. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 16 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for cold-blooded

• blooded
• budded
• flooded
• studded
• thudded

Kids Definition

cold-blooded

adjective

cold-blood·​ed

ˈkōl(d)-ˈbləd-əd

1

: lacking or showing a lack of natural human feelings

a cold-blooded criminal

2

: having a body temperature not regulated by the body and close to that of the environment

3

: sensitive to cold

cold-bloodedly adverb

Medical Definition

cold-blooded

adjective

cold-blood·​ed ˈkōl(d)-ˈbləd-əd 

: having a body temperature not internally regulated but approximating that of the environment : poikilothermic

cold-blooded amphibians and reptiles

cold-bloodedness noun