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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
  • Let someone encounter the version that still contains a little uncertainty.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Economic uncertainty and other factors have kept borrowing costs elevated for much of the year, according to real estate experts.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncertainty
Noun
  • The revelation that the holdout may have had reasonable doubt fueled sharply conflicting reactions.
    — Monu Bedi, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The defense acknowledged the affair but argued the state had built its case on a theory of motive and would be unable to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of doubt
Noun
  • Anticipation crescendos ahead of every season for the Minnesota Vikings, but this year’s opener offers extra suspense.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Inspired by an extraordinary true story, the film combines the suspense of a crime thriller with compelling young protagonists thrust into unimaginable circumstances.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of suspense
Noun
  • The look back shows the familiar societal cycle around powerful technology, spanning excitement, anxiety, and dread.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The spikes suffuse the air with a hard to describe but palpable dread.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dread
Noun
  • Pruitt doesn’t shy away from the root cause of that angst, either.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Whatley nodded at voters' economic angst but blamed Democrats for the problem.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of angst
Noun
  • His wife later told the priest that her husband had felt relief for a few days, but that the real cause of his torment had probably been a brain tumor.
    — David Owen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • As if Wendy’s hands, heart and day planner weren’t full enough, a panicky Jack determines to win her back, much to her torment.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of torment
Noun
  • And here’s where all the flash-forward business this season finally comes into thematic focus, imbuing the scene with an Old-Testament style foreboding.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • On stage, the audience is the camera, peering into a cutaway of set designer Fly Davis’ ominous, two-story house, lit with foreboding foreshadowing by Anna Watson.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of foreboding
Noun
  • Sometimes upsets are fluky, with some pivotal breaks going the underdogs' way.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Here, Ava Wallace, Matt Futterman and James Hansen present their takeaways from the final Grand Slam of 2026, from the best matches and biggest upsets to their abiding memories.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 14 Sep. 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 22 Sep. 2026.

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