1
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
those chilly nights when a warm fire can be especially comforting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling
a chilly glare directed at the person who tried to go to the head of the line
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cold
having a low or subnormal temperature
a chilly spring morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chilly
For The Union-Tribune For leprosy, a chilly reception Leprosy is a very, very old disease.
—
Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
The nights grew so chilly that Djena would go to a public rest room and use a hand dryer to warm herself.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
During my March visit, the days were chilly, but the sun was shining, and the cherry blossoms swayed gently in the breeze.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
After a chilly start to May, the weather pattern is finally about to flip to summer for much of the Midwest and Northeast over the next few days, forecasters said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chilly
Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
The nights grew so chilly that Djena would go to a public rest room and use a hand dryer to warm herself.
—Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
During my March visit, the days were chilly, but the sun was shining, and the cherry blossoms swayed gently in the breeze.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
After a chilly start to May, the weather pattern is finally about to flip to summer for much of the Midwest and Northeast over the next few days, forecasters said.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chilly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chilly
Adjective
-
One year before his television empire began with Yellowstone, Taylor Sheridan wrote and directed this absorbing neo-Western mystery about the chilling death of an 18-year-old Native American young woman.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
-
The coroner’s report is chilling, listing multiple factors besides cardiac arrest that figured in her death.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
Summer, for some, is the perfect excuse to sip icy dirty martinis on a city rooftop.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
14 May 2026
-
There’s been a fierce debate over the past two decades about the status of the distant icy world of Pluto after it was contentiously stripped of its planethood and reclassified as a dwarf planet.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s the youngest, most freewheeling son’s habit of swilling cold coffee while watching The Gong Show.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Historically, extremely cold temperatures, near absolute zero, were used to put them in a quiet state, which required bulky and expensive systems.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
This whiskey was made from the same mashbill, aged for a full decade, and bottled at 100 proof without chill filtration to preserve maximum flavor.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
22 May 2026
-
Those seated in the gunner or engineer positions will also be treated to additional clips of Grogu via their adjacent flight panels, the young alien here portrayed as something of a playful pet of a child who is exaggeratedly chill during the commotion.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
The casual-natured yet sharp staff seem genuinely happy to be working in frigid, off-grid Antarctica, and someone’s always around to fulfill a request, answer questions or engage in organic chit-chat in the main hub.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
-
The thing is, if America (or any spacefaring nation) wants to establish a permanent presence on the moon—an inhabited station that can operate during the frigid and lengthy lunar night—solar power won’t cut it.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Tropical hibiscus should be brought indoors when temperatures drop below about 55 degrees, while cold-hardy types like Rose of Sharon can tolerate freezing temperatures and overwinter outdoors in zones 5 to 9.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
-
The snow gave way on Saturday to a freezing drizzle, but returned on Sunday and fell through the night.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
While the overall state of the Angels remains bleak – their 18-34 record is the worst in the majors – on this night the fans could enjoy a rare break from the misery.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
-
In a world that often feels increasingly bleak and politically exhausted, there’s comfort in leaning into softness, seduction, and fantasy, and in letting your wardrobe reflect that desire too.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
-
The classic court-style design blends sporty and timeless details in a way that feels effortlessly cool.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
-
The patio umbrella in question is perfectly oversized to cast a cool shadow over your entire lounge area.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chilly. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
