cold turkey

Definition of cold turkeynext
as in clam
a cold aloof person my new boss is a cold turkey and definitely not one for chitchat

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cold turkey At first, the idea of going cold turkey is jarring and scary. Lauren Decarlo, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Jan. 2026 Going cold turkey is, often, an onerous way of quitting something completely and suddenly. Natalie Escobar, NPR, 26 Nov. 2025 But unlike nicotine or narcotics, food is something that all people need to survive, so quitting cold turkey isn’t an option. Claire Wilcox, The Conversation, 10 Oct. 2025 Don’t quit everything you are involved with cold turkey. Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cold turkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold turkey
Noun
  • Generations of beach-going visitors have photographed the barking sea lions that lounge on the wharf’s supports, eaten clam chowder, gone fishing and enjoyed the scenic views of Monterey Bay.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • In 2020, the Democratic National Convention caught some flack from outspoken Rhode Islanders for showcasing calamari as the state's best dish instead of the quintessentially Rhode Island stuffed clam or stuffie.
    Rin Velasco, The Providence Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • That impulse extends to dealing with occasional rude customers at her day gig, where the coworkers are nice but the boss, family-business heir Maxwell Sterling (Peter Serafinowicz), is one nasty cold fish.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
  • Lancelot, still the Round Table’s greatest hero, is a bit of a cold fish with an unexpected role to play as the saga winds to its close.
    Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
Noun
  • To recreate this, look for a thicker pepperoni or cut your own by buying a pepperoni stick, often found near the deli cheese or meats.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
  • With Vincent Desharnais serving a delay of game penalty for putting the puck over the glass from inside his own zone, Podkolzin then gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead, getting his stick free in front of the Sharks’ net and slipping a shot under Nedeljkovic for his 19th of the season.
    Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Wall text describes the building’s form as an iceberg, with credit for the metaphor going to the architect himself.
    Julian Rose, Artforum, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Littleleaf boxwood surrounds one planting area filled with iceberg roses.
    Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cold turkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20turkey. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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