as in cold turkey
a cold aloof person
her husband is such a cold fish that I'm reluctant to have them over for dinner
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Recent Examples of cold fish
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
This emulsified mixture of garlic, olive oil and egg is a classic accompaniment to fish (especially cold fish).
—Domenica Marchetti, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Anxious people are hurt and damaged while avoidants are cold fishes.
—Vicky Spratt, refinery29.com, 17 Oct. 2023
As Alfred Uhry’s book — also a Tony winner — relates, Leo, the manager of a pencil factory owned by Lucille’s uncle, is a misfit in Atlanta: a New York Jew but also a cold fish.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2023
There would be plates of bright red tuna crudo, the cold fish drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt flakes.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2022
Uncle Richard came round to the flat especially to reason with her, and reported back to Hilary that his niece was a funny sort of girl, bit of a cold fish, very set on her own ideas.
—Tessa Hadley, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2022
Each ticket comes with a 15-minute window for pickup, to avoid any risk of long lines and cold fish.
—Star Tribune, 25 Feb. 2021
Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
This emulsified mixture of garlic, olive oil and egg is a classic accompaniment to fish (especially cold fish).
—Domenica Marchetti, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Anxious people are hurt and damaged while avoidants are cold fishes.
—Vicky Spratt, refinery29.com, 17 Oct. 2023
As Alfred Uhry’s book — also a Tony winner — relates, Leo, the manager of a pencil factory owned by Lucille’s uncle, is a misfit in Atlanta: a New York Jew but also a cold fish.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2023
There would be plates of bright red tuna crudo, the cold fish drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt flakes.
—Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2022
Uncle Richard came round to the flat especially to reason with her, and reported back to Hilary that his niece was a funny sort of girl, bit of a cold fish, very set on her own ideas.
—Tessa Hadley, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2022
Each ticket comes with a 15-minute window for pickup, to avoid any risk of long lines and cold fish.
—Star Tribune, 25 Feb. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold fish
Noun
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Here’s what to know about stopping a GLP-1, including the potential side effects of quitting cold turkey, and how to come up with a tapering plan with your doctor.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Flow Space,
5 Aug. 2025
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Families are establishing screen-free zones in their homes, states are banning phones in schools, and a new kind of summer camp has emerged: digital detox camps, which can cost around $2,000 a week, and promise to wean attendees off screens by going cold turkey for the summer.—
Elana Klein,
Wired News,
21 July 2025
Noun
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The menu is a wonderland of seafood, from clams in white wine to seafood soup with shrimp clams and mussels.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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And that may be even more satisfying than a clam appetizer.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The oil, oil stick, pigments, and graphite on canvas marries myriad cultural and self-referential images, symbols, and motifs, mostly notably Móyòsóré Martins’ signature Watchman figure.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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Getting swallowed by a tech giant expecting hockey-stick growth has proved untenable.—
Stefan Fatsis,
The Atlantic,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In just a fairly short stretch of the channel, five glaciers descend from the Cordillera Darwin range to the sea, casting off icebergs into the turquoise water.—
Stefanie Waldek,
AFAR Media,
12 Sep. 2025
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Open Jobs For instance, open jobs, when taken with the measurement of total unemployed, will tell you about the size of the iceberg below the surface.—
Eli Amdur,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cold fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20fish. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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