cold-blooded

adjective

ˈkōl(d)-ˈblə-dəd How to pronounce cold-blooded (audio)
Definition of cold-bloodednext
1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings a cold-blooded criminal who never once showed an ounce of mercy to his victims

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2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling the cold-blooded selfishness shown by the miser when confronted by people in need

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3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion a cold-blooded assessment of the situation showed that the company needed either to lay off workers or go bankrupt

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4
as in hybrid
or coldblood being offspring produced by parents of different races, breeds, species, or genera he may not be as fancy as the other horses they own, but that cold-blooded gelding is safe and gentle

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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-blooded From a long-quiet wingman who dispensed with six years of muttering under his breath and spoke with a cold-blooded certainty that announced his arrival as a force to be reckoned with. — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 1 May 2026 The research suggests that warm-blooded fish species, which include great whites, shortfin makos and salmon sharks, burn about four times more energy than cold-blooded species and will increasingly be forced into cooler regions with less food. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026 Some of the ocean’s most powerful predators are warm-blooded creatures that burn nearly four times more energy than their cold-blooded counterparts. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026 Crowds returned to the Cal Expo Pavilion on Sunday to get an up close look at thousands of cold-blooded creatures at the 28th annual Sacramento Reptile Show. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cold-blooded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-blooded
  1. ruthless
  2. icy
  3. stoic
  4. hybrid
  5. merciless
  6. cold
  7. mixed
  8. frigid
Adjective
  • Models are ruthless in their pursuit of a goal, sometimes taking disastrous shortcuts.
    — Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
  • Ticketing was a ruthless game of revenue maximization, and the final became a stage for Madonna and Justin Bieber.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • While Io itself is far too hostile to support life, microwave instruments can also probe beneath icy surfaces.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 24 July 2026
  • Page, an imposing figure in his double-breasted suit, can add a seductive lilt to his booming bass or an icy edge that provides a peek into his embittered soul.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • Her unvarnished, heartsore turn as a woman unprepared to be the face of a movement, but shouldering that responsibility anyway, gives this otherwise stoic affair a nervy, sensitive spine.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 July 2026
  • But the action is nullified by the fact that Ono assumes the stoic posture of the Buddhist monks seen in the news at the time setting themselves aflame in protest of the Vietnam War.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of stoic
Adjective
  • The company also presented the TUOYUAN wheeled humanoid robot, which combines an embodied AI foundation model with force-position hybrid control.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026
  • And now, employers are increasingly insisting on hybrid schedules or even a full-time return to the office.
    — Scott Neuman, NPR, 24 July 2026
Definition of hybrid
Adjective
  • The red card was rescinded; the team was unmoored; conspiracies grew overnight, like mushrooms; and a merciless Belgium swept in and trampled, 4–1, on what remained.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • Soon enough, Karl’s seemingly foolproof blackmail scheme devolves into a merciless, dog-eat-dog fight for survival, and the two men are locked in a cutthroat collision course, their fates now inextricably linked.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
Definition of merciless
Adjective
  • With the game clock frozen, Purple Reign’s offense went equally as cold.
    — Christian Marshall, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
  • John Dillinger lay on a cold slab in the Cook County Morgue Monday.
    — Cassidy Alexander, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • As the days went on, Mainoo cut a forlorn figure walking through various mixed zones, often being among the first to board the team bus.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Very early in the morning, however, the moon will make a series of aspects — with Mars, Saturn and Mercury retrograde — that could potentially trigger everything from feelings of restlessness to emotional reactions due to mixed signals.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Definition of mixed
Adjective
  • The 16-mile-wide (26 kilometer) giant of a comet spends its life journeying back and forth between the outer and inner solar system, where its frigid body is heated by the sun, triggering dramatic outbursts of activity.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 July 2026
  • That's when the US Airways captain steered Flight 1549 to a safe water landing on the frigid Hudson River, with both engines shut down from a bird strike — shortly after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport.
    — Scott Simon, NPR, 18 July 2026
Definition of frigid

Browse Nearby Words

cold
cold-blooded
cold-bloodedly
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Cite this Entry

“Cold-blooded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-blooded. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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