as in dismissals
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly
at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in isolates
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely
cold-shouldered by his old friends after his family had lost all of its money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cold shoulders
Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
These rules were administered via cold shoulders and whispers.
—Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
My first issue, in January, launched Nan Goldin’s campaign against the Sackler family for their role in the opioid epidemic, and this action has inspired cold shoulders from the philanthropic class.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Noun
There are screaming matches and cold shoulders.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
These rules were administered via cold shoulders and whispers.
—Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
My first issue, in January, launched Nan Goldin’s campaign against the Sackler family for their role in the opioid epidemic, and this action has inspired cold shoulders from the philanthropic class.
—David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold shoulders
Noun
-
And after overseeing one of the most chaotic seasons in franchise history, following prior actions in the front office that included the dismissals of Kyle Dubas and then Brendan Shanahan, Pelley and an ownership group in transition haven’t earned the benefit of the doubt.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
The policy targeted former party members, particularly those in senior positions under the previous government, and led to large-scale dismissals across the public sector, including the military, education and civil service.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
At a moment, when everything isolates us, the collective experience of cinema matters more than ever.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
12 May 2026
-
Closing doors isolates fire and prevents smoke, heat and flames from spreading, officials said.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Katie fully catches on to his selfish game, though, and firmly rejects him at last.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
-
Turkey vehemently rejects the label, conceding many died in that era but insisting the death toll is inflated and the deaths resulted from civil unrest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
But Colorado can answer the snubs by winning the Stanley Cup.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
-
That’s because Deadwyler has proven her knack for summoning visceral, harrowingly realistic emotion in stories of painful resonance, work which has led to a bevy of critics’ awards, Indie Spirit and BAFTA nominations — and a good deal of outcry over Oscar snubs.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The central bank cuts rates to stimulate the economy, but that can reignite inflation, especially when commodity prices like oil surge or supply chains are disrupted.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
Penned in partnership with long-time Riva collaborator Officina Italiana Design, the flybridge yacht cuts a sleek, dynamic silhouette with sporty lines and expansive glazing.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.—
Alexander Nazaryan,
New Yorker,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cold shoulders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20shoulders. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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