1
a
: having or being a temperature that is uncomfortably low for humans
it is cold outside today
a cold drafty attic
b
: having a relatively low temperature or one lower than normal or expected
the bath water has gotten cold
c
: not heated: such as
(1)
of food
: served without heating especially after initial cooking or processing
cold cereal
cold roast beef
(2)
: served chilled or with ice
a cold drink
(3)
: involving processing without the use of heat
cold working of steel
2
a
: marked by a lack of the warmth of normal human emotion, friendliness, or compassion
a cold stare
got a cold reception
also
: not moved to enthusiasm
the movie leaves me cold
b
: not colored or affected by personal feeling or bias : detached, indifferent
cold chronicles recorded by an outsider—
Andrew Sarris
Andrew Sarris
c
: marked by sure familiarity : pat
had her lines cold weeks before opening night
3
4
a
: marked by the loss of normal body heat
cold hands
b
: giving the appearance of being dead : unconscious
passed out cold
5
a
: having lost freshness or vividness : stale
dogs trying to pick up a cold scent
b
: far off the mark : not close to finding or solving
—used especially in children's games
c
: marked by poor or unlucky performance
the team's shooting turned cold in the second half
d
: not prepared or suitably warmed up
The player's sub entered the game cold.
1
: bodily sensation produced by loss or lack of heat
they died of the cold
2
: a condition of low temperature
extremes of heat and cold
especially
: cold weather
He waited outside for her in the bitter cold.
3
: a bodily disorder popularly associated with chilling
1
: with utter finality : absolutely, completely
turned down cold
2
a
: without introduction or advance notice
walked in cold to apply for a job
b
: without preparation or warm-up
was asked to perform the solo cold
Synonyms
Examples of cold in a Sentence
Adjective
The water was too cold for swimming.
The weather has been unusually cold this spring.
a country with a cold climate
It was a long, cold winter.
It's cold outside, but the wind makes it feel even colder.
It's bitterly cold out there!
metal that is cold to the touch
Are you cold? I could turn up the temperature if you'd like.
a bowl of cold cereal
He ate cold pizza for breakfast.
Noun
I mind cold more than heat.
They died of exposure to cold.
The cold really sets in around late November and doesn't let up until April.
I stood there shivering in the cold.
He waited outside for her in the bitter cold.
Come in out of the cold.
It's not the flu, it's just a cold.
Adverb
She was asked to perform the song cold.
Recent Examples on the WebEd Christman, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024
The short but intriguing beverage menu includes cold Java jasmine tea, red-ginger tea and fruit juices in flavors of soursop, passion fruit and dragon fruit.
—John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Their sensitive nasal epithelium, distributed between two chambers, can detect odors diffused in a warm desert breeze or dissolved in a cold ocean current.
—Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy Gabra Zackman Emma Kehlbeck Lance Neal, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
The first series of Range Rover Electric photos show the vehicle undergoing cold weather testing on the frozen lakes of Sweden.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2024
From Beer Gardens in the park and Brew in the Zoo to Louisville Beer Week, here’s how to celebrate local brews and have a cold one at these events.
—The Courier-Journal, 22 Apr. 2024
Cook chicken from a cold oven; grate ginger with the skin on; always use a discard bowl.
—Hannah Whitaker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024
There were shouts, then shots and then death on a cold sidewalk surrounded by strangers.
—Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Just like the original cold foam, the spicy cream cold foam can be added to any iced beverage.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Amanda Gardner, Health, 30 Mar. 2024
The state’s superintendents, maintenance directors, teachers and students see the leaks, pack into crowded hallways and feel the extreme cold and heat throughout the year.
—Asia Fields, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2024
Through the winter, Miranda had suffered a series of bad colds; getting her on the phone had become hard.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
While the other dog quickly found a forever home, Ludwig unfortunately caught a puppy cold and did not get better after a few weeks.
—The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2024
The assault on Friday was reminiscent of Russia’s air campaign against the Ukrainian energy grid during the first winter of the war, which plunged Kyiv into cold and darkness.
—Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The lows, when the mental errors creep in, stop a drive cold.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024
The portable air purifier can clean the surrounding air in as little as 12 minutes, relieving allergies, colds, and more.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
The gentle formula flushes out irritants and moisturizes dry nasal passages related to allergies, colds, flu, and sinusitis.
—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2024
Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
If the suspect is an undocumented immigrant, the trail can go cold quickly.
—Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2023
Garden mums, on the other hand, can survive cold better.
—Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2023
Initial leads running cold over the weekend with over 200 officers working the case.
—Adrienne Vogt, CNN, 3 May 2023
First detected in the stream after the stream mouth emerged from glacial ice were larvae of chironomids, cold-loving midges.
—Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2023
The green mandarin that features in Armani Code Eau de Toilette was cold-extracted from fruits handpicked in Calabria, Italy—a sourcing method that helps support local farmers and invests in responsible agricultural practices.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2023
Clothing choice in what appears to be below-zero weather is the low point here: they are all clad in metal armor, which is likely heavy, restrictive, and cold-conducting.
—Benjamin Tepler, Outside Online, 14 Oct. 2022
The compilation was spurred by longtime Alaska journalist and writer Lael Morgan, who cold-called James and pitched him on the idea of a book focusing on Alaska literature.
—Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Mar. 2023
Adjective
But Retail Track ran out of gas (figuratively) and out of time (literally) — and the local bar with cold Pabst Blue Ribbon cans was beckoning.
—Ed Christman, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024
The short but intriguing beverage menu includes cold Java jasmine tea, red-ginger tea and fruit juices in flavors of soursop, passion fruit and dragon fruit.
—John Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Their sensitive nasal epithelium, distributed between two chambers, can detect odors diffused in a warm desert breeze or dissolved in a cold ocean current.
—Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy Gabra Zackman Emma Kehlbeck Lance Neal, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024
The first series of Range Rover Electric photos show the vehicle undergoing cold weather testing on the frozen lakes of Sweden.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2024
From Beer Gardens in the park and Brew in the Zoo to Louisville Beer Week, here’s how to celebrate local brews and have a cold one at these events.
—The Courier-Journal, 22 Apr. 2024
Cook chicken from a cold oven; grate ginger with the skin on; always use a discard bowl.
—Hannah Whitaker, The New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2024
There were shouts, then shots and then death on a cold sidewalk surrounded by strangers.
—Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Just like the original cold foam, the spicy cream cold foam can be added to any iced beverage.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Noun
What To Avoid Some medicines will not work against colds or may be harmful to some people.
—Amanda Gardner, Health, 30 Mar. 2024
The state’s superintendents, maintenance directors, teachers and students see the leaks, pack into crowded hallways and feel the extreme cold and heat throughout the year.
—Asia Fields, Idaho Statesman, 27 Mar. 2024
Through the winter, Miranda had suffered a series of bad colds; getting her on the phone had become hard.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
While the other dog quickly found a forever home, Ludwig unfortunately caught a puppy cold and did not get better after a few weeks.
—The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2024
The assault on Friday was reminiscent of Russia’s air campaign against the Ukrainian energy grid during the first winter of the war, which plunged Kyiv into cold and darkness.
—Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The lows, when the mental errors creep in, stop a drive cold.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024
The portable air purifier can clean the surrounding air in as little as 12 minutes, relieving allergies, colds, and more.
—Amy Schulman, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
The gentle formula flushes out irritants and moisturizes dry nasal passages related to allergies, colds, flu, and sinusitis.
—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 18 Mar. 2024
Adverb
The two teams were tied at 17-17 after a first quarter that saw the Buckeyes go cold late, shooting two for 11 to close the period.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2023
If the suspect is an undocumented immigrant, the trail can go cold quickly.
—Rebecca Rosenberg, Fox News, 4 Sep. 2023
Garden mums, on the other hand, can survive cold better.
—Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2023
Initial leads running cold over the weekend with over 200 officers working the case.
—Adrienne Vogt, CNN, 3 May 2023
First detected in the stream after the stream mouth emerged from glacial ice were larvae of chironomids, cold-loving midges.
—Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2023
The green mandarin that features in Armani Code Eau de Toilette was cold-extracted from fruits handpicked in Calabria, Italy—a sourcing method that helps support local farmers and invests in responsible agricultural practices.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2023
Clothing choice in what appears to be below-zero weather is the low point here: they are all clad in metal armor, which is likely heavy, restrictive, and cold-conducting.
—Benjamin Tepler, Outside Online, 14 Oct. 2022
The compilation was spurred by longtime Alaska journalist and writer Lael Morgan, who cold-called James and pitched him on the idea of a book focusing on Alaska literature.
—Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near cold
Cite this Entry
“Cold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cold
1 of 2 adjective1
: having a low temperature or one much below normal
a cold day
a cold drink
2
: lacking warmth of feeling : unfriendly
a cold stare
3
: suffering or uncomfortable from lack of warmth
they feel cold
4
a
: marked by the loss of normal body heat
cold hands
b
: giving the appearance of being dead : unconscious
passed out cold
coldly
adverb
cold
2 of 2 noun1
a
: a condition of low temperature
b
: cold weather
2
: bodily sensation produced by loss or lack of heat : chill
3
: a bodily disorder popularly associated with chilling
especially
: common cold
Medical Definition
cold
1 of 3 adjective1
a
: having or being a temperature that is noticeably lower than body temperature and especially that is uncomfortable for humans
a cold drafty room
b
: having a relatively low temperature or one that is lower than normal or expected
the bath water has gotten cold
c
: receptive to the sensation of coldness : stimulated by cold
a cold spot is a typical receptor in higher vertebrates
2
: marked by the loss of normal body heat
cold hands
3
: dead
4
: exhibiting little or no radioactivity
cold
2 of 3 noun1
: bodily sensation produced by loss or lack of heat
2
: a bodily disorder popularly associated with chilling:
a
in humans
: common cold
b
in domestic animals
: coryza
COLD
3 of 3 abbreviationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share