1
as in frigid
having a low or subnormal temperature
an icy drink that was especially refreshing on that hot afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cold
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling
she wondered why the salesclerk at the boutique had given her an icy glare
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of icy
The early 2000s offered a treasure trove of trends–think, crimped hair and icy blue eyeshadow.
—
Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
A touch of color will keep your nails looking pearly rather than icy.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
But her next record, partially recorded with Frou Frou’s Guy Sigsworth, foregrounds Margaret’s vocals against a bricolage of Gregorian chants, icy electro pop and turntablist flourish.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Kymora Johnson buried an icy 3 and broke a late tie.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icy
Ranyechi Udemezue, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2026
A touch of color will keep your nails looking pearly rather than icy.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 24 Mar. 2026
But her next record, partially recorded with Frou Frou’s Guy Sigsworth, foregrounds Margaret’s vocals against a bricolage of Gregorian chants, icy electro pop and turntablist flourish.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Kymora Johnson buried an icy 3 and broke a late tie.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for icy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icy
Adjective
-
Lisa Rae Moss — serving a life sentence for her involvement in the 1990 murder of her husband, Mike Moss — sat in the witness box in a courtroom in Seminole, Oklahoma, on a frigid January morning in 2025, her hands knotted in her lap.—
Pamela Colloff,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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If in the ground, tulips can survive outside in most USDA zones, but soil temperatures in pots never retain enough heat for spring flowering bulbs to survive frigid cold temperatures.—
Michelle Mastro,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until filling is set and cake is cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Baristas sprinkled shredded phyllo dough over top heaps of cold foam.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The compressor handles the energy-intensive freezing step during peak solar hours, when panels would otherwise throttle back or dump excess power.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Carrying his skimboard, which is like a cross between a boogie board and a surfboard, the University of South Florida freshman waited for the right moment to run into the waves, try some tricks and fall in the freezing water.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Temperatures will struggle to reach 50° on Saturday afternoon, with a chilly breeze.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
One big potential downside of the Air design is that all that mesh seems likely to make for some chilly nights outside the heart of summer.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
An airport spokesperson told Pulse Tasmania that the uninvited guest was remarkably chill about the whole situation.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Ellie, who has become notorious in the franchise for being explosive, if also hard-working, had been surprisingly chill this season, especially given Ben’s … idiosyncratic way of speaking to women.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, some good news is in the forecast for the drought- and heat-plagued West, as a cool, wet and even snowy pattern is forecast to bring some relief that's desperately needed across the region.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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In the Philippines, government offices are now open just four days a week and bureaucrats must limit the use of air conditioning to nothing cooler than 75°F (24°C).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Contact with the near minus-260-degree Fahrenheit liquid or its super‑cold vapors can cause severe injuries similar to burns, and materials exposed to such temperatures can become brittle and fail.—
Joel McPherson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
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Older roofs are more brittle and likely to fail when hail strikes a home than those that are newer.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The bulk of the queue is in one room, completely back-and-forth, stanchion-style, with only static photos of arctic animals to distract.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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Earth's magnetic field funnels charged particles from the sun towards the poles, making arctic locations like Norway's Andøya Spaceport prime locations for viewing the northern lights.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icy. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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