cold feet

noun

Definition of cold feetnext
as in uncertainty

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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 cold feet That has sent maritime insurance rates through the roof and given some financiers and shipping companies cold feet about tempting fate and navigating through the troubled waters. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 June 2026 As for whether Smirnoff-Skyy's flair might give some buyers cold feet, listing agent Adelaida Mejia of Vanguard Properties isn't losing any sleep over it. — Itay Hod, CBS News, 9 June 2026 Advertisers began to get cold feet about the vigilante-like tactics used to investigate alleged predators. — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Or, sometimes the non-comics get cold feet on a certain joke. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 12 May 2026 The $10 billion that Cursor keeps even if the deal doesn’t happen looks, to my traditional M&A reporter brain, like the largest breakup fee on record (a smart move, given Musk’s penchant for getting cold feet). — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026 But Borgli isn’t just delivering a biting satire on the ultimate case of cold feet. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026 Did OpenAI’s discontinuation of Sora force Disney out of the deal, or did Disney get cold feet first? — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 25 Mar. 2026 And Indonesia isn’t the only country getting cold feet. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold feet
  1. uncertainty
  2. doubt
  3. suspense
  4. dread
  5. angst
  6. torment
  7. foreboding
  8. upset
Noun
  • The popular corn maze and sunflower gardens flooded, adding uncertainty to whether the former will be ready as usual for Conner Prairie's high-profile fall festivals.
    — John Tufts, IndyStar, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Northwestern University economist Chuck Manski studies decision-making amid uncertainty.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncertainty
Noun
  • Was there ever any doubt Cristobal would succeed at his dream job?
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Oceanside has worked for years to get its neighbors on board with plans to restore and retain sand on its eroding beaches south of the municipal pier, but some Carlsbad residents still have their doubts.
    — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of doubt
Noun
  • Some have described this play as biting political theater and others as a suspense thriller or a twisted rom-com.
    — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Top genres included general fiction led the market at 27% of revenue, followed by science fiction/fantasy, romance, and mysteries/thrillers/suspense.
    — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of suspense
Noun
  • On Widow’s Bay, a show currently decorated with 19 Emmy nominations, the line between cozy New England charm and creeping dread is often found in the details.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Bauman and Ferguson worked closely to find ways of remaining faithful to the actual house’s architecture while using it as a storytelling tool to evoke a sense of dread and claustrophobia.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dread
Noun
  • Indeed, high concept world-building and twists on genre archetypes are notable hallmarks of the Toronto showcase titles, which cut deep into edgy untold stories and contemporary angst around identity.
    — Jennie Punter, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the economic angst and billionaire exodus, California has been recording some of the highest income growth in the country.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of angst
Noun
  • Sochor confessed to the crime, but her body has never been found − still a torment to her family.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 11 July 2026
  • By homing in on the psychological torment of winning the crown, the show offers a surprising detour from familiar carnage—while suggesting that disappointment over a seemingly ideal position can be as crushing as a defeat on the battlefield.
    — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026
Definition of torment
Noun
  • On his first appearance for Peak Oil, the Mancunian producer animates foreboding, percussive bass music with tricky details and Escherian grooves.
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
  • In Nolan’s telling, his deceit and plundering portend the collapse of the Bronze Age—a foreboding warning about greedy, fading empires that feels a little too relevant.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026
Definition of foreboding
Noun
  • Nixon shocks Florida Democrats with primary upset Everything was stacked against the 32-year-old state legislator in a race establishment Democrats had hoped to make somewhat competitive this fall.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Florida Democrats gathered to promote party unity in Little Havana on Wednesday, but faced questions about socialism given an upset in Tuesday's primary.
    — Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of upset

Browse Nearby Words

cold-eyed
cold feet
cold fish
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Cite this Entry

“Cold feet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20feet. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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