in the cold light of day
idiom
: in the day when things can be seen clearly rather than at night
The house that had looked so sinister at night seemed much less frightening in the cold light of day.
—sometimes used figurativelyShe forced me to look at myself in the cold light of day, and I didn't like what I saw.
Examples of in the cold light of day in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Elsewhere…Who wants to talk about 2021 valuations, in the cold light of day that is 2024?
—
Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024
Spend time with them in the cold light of day.
—Moya Lothian-McLean, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2022
But in the cold light of day, the U.S. record here remains just one win in four matches.
—Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 4 Dec. 2022
In heated, often emotional, competitive bidding, some potential buyers may back out of a deal in the cold light of day, Potter said.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 24 July 2022
The level of suffering that has been created because of this disease is now being seen in the cold light of day, i.e., the truth.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2021
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Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024
Spend time with them in the cold light of day.
—Moya Lothian-McLean, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2022
But in the cold light of day, the U.S. record here remains just one win in four matches.
—Joshua Robinson, WSJ, 4 Dec. 2022
In heated, often emotional, competitive bidding, some potential buyers may back out of a deal in the cold light of day, Potter said.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 24 July 2022
The level of suffering that has been created because of this disease is now being seen in the cold light of day, i.e., the truth.
—David Remnick, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“In the cold light of day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20cold%20light%20of%20day. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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