cold turkey

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

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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 turkey How to digital detox Fisher warns that going cold turkey can be a jolt to the system. Rachel Hale, USA Today, 7 June 2025 Tapering the use of these drugs rather than quitting cold turkey may be safest. Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 30 May 2025 How Leaders Can Find Freedom Retirement shouldn’t be about just stopping everything cold turkey. Chad Willardson, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 No matter the continued risk of withdrawal symptoms, medications like methadone for those who are pregnant are still safer than quitting illicit fentanyl cold turkey, according to Davidson. Kate Bolduan, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cold turkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold turkey
Noun
  • Bring to a gentle boil, then add the clams.
    Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Bivalve molluscs such as mussels and clams, as well as tellinas and oysters, contain significant amounts of vitamin B12 and riboflavin, as well as thiamine, niacin, and folic acid.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • 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
Noun
  • Video footage of the tragedy obtained by the outlets shows Hakam dancing with his wife while waving a Saidi stick, a prop used for the traditional Egyptian Saidi dance.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Tortas Ahogadas El Príncipe Heredero A torta ahogada—a soggy, spicy, stick-in-your-stomach meal that’s perfect for sopping up all the tequila from the night before—is a signature of the city.
    David Shortell, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Writing is an iceberg sort of art form where only 10% of the work ends up on the page; the other 90% includes excavating each character’s backstory.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Sep. 2025
  • This is kind of the tip of the AI iceberg still.
    Evan Clark, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cold turkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20turkey. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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