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You know what it looks like… but what is it called?
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a
: to become congealed into ice by cold
b
: to solidify as a result of abstraction of heat
c
: to withstand freezing
the bread freezes well
2
: to become chilled with cold
almost froze to death
3
: to adhere solidly by or as if by freezing
pressure caused the metals to freeze
4
: to become fixed or motionless
especially
: to become incapable of acting or speaking
5
: to become clogged with ice
the water pipes froze
1
a
: to harden into ice
b
: to convert from a liquid to a solid by cold
2
: to make extremely cold : chill
3
a
: to act on usually destructively by frost
b
: to anesthetize by cold
4
: to cause to grip tightly or remain in immovable contact
5
a
: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable
freeze interest rates
b
: to immobilize by governmental regulation the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of
freeze foreign assets
c
: to render motionless
a fake froze the defender
6
: to attempt to retain continuous possession of (a ball or puck) without an attempt to score usually in order to protect a small lead
1
a
: an act or instance of freezing
b
: the state of being frozen
2
: a state of weather marked by low temperature especially when below the freezing point
3
: a halt in the production, testing, and deployment of military weapons
a nuclear freeze
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Verb
The children are going to freeze out there without their coats.
The cold weather froze the water pipes.
Noun
The freeze destroyed many oranges.
the Midwest will experience an intense freeze later in the week
Recent Examples on the Web
Jay Peters, The Verge, 21 Mar. 2023
Estrogen therapy can decrease sperm count, so Dr. Abdul-Latif recommends trans women freeze their sperm before starting therapy.
—Nisarg Bakshi, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2023
Our woody plants and perennials are most vulnerable to frost and freeze damage in April, mostly in the second half of the month.
—Chris Mckeown, The Enquirer, 18 Mar. 2023
If west Pinal County doesn't achieve the 5% reduction, the government could freeze federal transportation funds, and new projects could be put on hold until a new dust-control plan is submitted and approved by the EPA.
—The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2023
Links to frost and freeze date data are also available on that page.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Mar. 2023
College tuition freeze The House adds $1 billion requested by chancellors of six state university systems.
—Dallas News, 16 Mar. 2023
Many predict that Hunt will freeze the duty at the current level, a policy successive administrations have maintained for 12 years.
—Julia Malleck, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2023
There is lots of freeze damage to our white bird of paradise foliage.
—Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2023
Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2023
Freezing temperatures hit the South A major swath of the Southeast from Virginia to Mississippi was blanketed by a freeze warning on Tuesday.
—Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023
The National Weather Service has issued a new round of freeze warnings for late tonight and early Tuesday morning for the northern two-thirds of Alabama.
—Leigh Morgan, al, 20 Mar. 2023
The groups also demanded a rent freeze on all UC housing, both on and off campus, a commitment to end no-fault evictions and other protections in a letter to top UC officials.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2023
It was intended to compensate for a freeze on employee salaries from 2009 to 2012, during an economic recession.
—Nicole Asbury, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2023
In Tucson, temperatures are expected to be in the lower to upper 20s tonight into Friday morning, making for potential freeze warnings.
—The Arizona Republic, 2 Mar. 2023
In the inland valleys, a freeze warning will be in effect, with some of the coldest valleys such as Ramona dropping to 25 degrees, according to Moede.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2023
The crash of a hovering F-35B jump jet on December 14, 2022 led to a freeze on F135 deliveries 13 days later.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 1 Mar. 2023
See More
Verb
Sometimes everything would freeze, and peoples’ voices would briefly drop out.
—Jay Peters, The Verge, 21 Mar. 2023
Estrogen therapy can decrease sperm count, so Dr. Abdul-Latif recommends trans women freeze their sperm before starting therapy.
—Nisarg Bakshi, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2023
Our woody plants and perennials are most vulnerable to frost and freeze damage in April, mostly in the second half of the month.
—Chris Mckeown, The Enquirer, 18 Mar. 2023
If west Pinal County doesn't achieve the 5% reduction, the government could freeze federal transportation funds, and new projects could be put on hold until a new dust-control plan is submitted and approved by the EPA.
—The Arizona Republic, 17 Mar. 2023
Links to frost and freeze date data are also available on that page.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 16 Mar. 2023
College tuition freeze The House adds $1 billion requested by chancellors of six state university systems.
—Dallas News, 16 Mar. 2023
Many predict that Hunt will freeze the duty at the current level, a policy successive administrations have maintained for 12 years.
—Julia Malleck, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2023
There is lots of freeze damage to our white bird of paradise foliage.
—Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2023
Noun
With the 22-year assessment freeze on TID properties, this will become increasingly burdensome for taxpayers.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2023
Freezing temperatures hit the South A major swath of the Southeast from Virginia to Mississippi was blanketed by a freeze warning on Tuesday.
—Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2023
The National Weather Service has issued a new round of freeze warnings for late tonight and early Tuesday morning for the northern two-thirds of Alabama.
—Leigh Morgan, al, 20 Mar. 2023
The groups also demanded a rent freeze on all UC housing, both on and off campus, a commitment to end no-fault evictions and other protections in a letter to top UC officials.
—Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2023
It was intended to compensate for a freeze on employee salaries from 2009 to 2012, during an economic recession.
—Nicole Asbury, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2023
In Tucson, temperatures are expected to be in the lower to upper 20s tonight into Friday morning, making for potential freeze warnings.
—The Arizona Republic, 2 Mar. 2023
In the inland valleys, a freeze warning will be in effect, with some of the coldest valleys such as Ramona dropping to 25 degrees, according to Moede.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2023
The crash of a hovering F-35B jump jet on December 14, 2022 led to a freeze on F135 deliveries 13 days later.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 1 Mar. 2023
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'freeze.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English fresen, from Old English frēosan; akin to Old High German friosan to freeze, Latin pruina hoarfrost, Old English frost frost
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of freeze was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing freeze
Articles Related to freeze
Dictionary Entries Near freeze
Cite this Entry
“Freeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freeze. Accessed 29 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
freeze
1 of 2 verb1
: to harden into or be hardened into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
the river froze over
freeze the stew for dinner next week
2
: to be or become uncomfortably cold
turn up the heat—I'm freezing
3
a
: to damage or kill by frost
froze the tomato plants
b
: to anesthetize by cold
4
: to stick by or as if by freezing
the clothes froze to the line
fear froze the driver's hands to the wheel
5
: to clog or become clogged with ice
the water pipes froze
6
: to make or become fixed or motionless
the engine froze
froze in their tracks
7
: to fix at a certain stage or level
freeze prices
freeze
2 of 2 noun1
: a state of weather marked by low temperature
2
a
: an act or instance of freezing
a wage freeze
b
: the state of being frozen
Medical Definition
freeze
verb1
: to become hardened into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
2
a
: to become chilled with cold
almost froze to death
b
: to anesthetize a part especially by cold
1
: to cause to harden into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
2
: to make extremely cold : chill
3
a
: to act on usually destructively by frost
b
: to anesthetize by cold
Legal Definition
freeze
transitive verb
froze; frozen; freezing
1
: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable
freeze interest rates
2
: to immobilize (as by government regulation or the action of a financial institution) the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of
freeze foreign assets
3
: to restructure (the capital of a close corporation) so that the value is reflected mostly in preferred stock rather than common stock
Note: Once capital is frozen, the common shares can be transferred to the heirs of the owner without taxation while the owner continues to enjoy the income from preferred stock dividends during his or her lifetime.
freeze
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on freeze
Nglish: Translation of freeze for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of freeze for Arabic Speakers
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