1
as in detached
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
the attendant's cold-eyed stare discouraged any thoughts about having a conversation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling
under the cold-eyed gaze of the director, I auditioned for the part
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of cold-eyed
Credit markets and ratings agencies—whose job is to be cold-eyed about risk—have registered that transformation: Moody’s upgraded the sovereign to Aa3 in Nov. 2024, S&P raised the Kingdom to A+ in March 2025, and Fitch affirmed A+ with a stable outlook in July 2025.
—
Ali Shihabi, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
These were acts of opportunism by a cold-eyed pragmatist.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Acknowledging this is cold-eyed realism; humiliating and undercutting an ally, perhaps with worse to come in the form of a sweetheart deal for Moscow, is not.
—The Editors, National Review, 20 Feb. 2025
Photo: Butch Dill/Associated Press For a political class that likes to think of itself as a hardened cadre of cold-eyed realists, the leadership of the Republican Party has indulged in comically wishful thinking about the most consequential figure in recent political history.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 7 Aug. 2023
Better, these analysts argue, to approach the rivalry in realpolitik terms—as a cold-eyed contest over power—and leave values to the side.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 16 Mar. 2021
Ali Shihabi, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
These were acts of opportunism by a cold-eyed pragmatist.
—James Verini, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2025
Acknowledging this is cold-eyed realism; humiliating and undercutting an ally, perhaps with worse to come in the form of a sweetheart deal for Moscow, is not.
—The Editors, National Review, 20 Feb. 2025
Photo: Butch Dill/Associated Press For a political class that likes to think of itself as a hardened cadre of cold-eyed realists, the leadership of the Republican Party has indulged in comically wishful thinking about the most consequential figure in recent political history.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 7 Aug. 2023
Better, these analysts argue, to approach the rivalry in realpolitik terms—as a cold-eyed contest over power—and leave values to the side.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 16 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-eyed
Adjective
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Martell said the tone wasn’t hostile, just detached.—
Will Ripley,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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The detached house was built in 2013 and has a living area of 3,186 square feet.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Add in snow piles that narrow the shoulders, chain controls, and icy roads, and delays are just part of the Tahoe travel experience.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
7 Nov. 2025
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The look is finished off with an icy translucent rubber outsole.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In another imaging campaign, API, assisted by AMIGO, was able to produce detailed images of a black hole jet, the volcanic surface of Jupiter's moon Io, and stellar winds emanating from a distant variable star.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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Although the technology to use helium-3 remains distant, its potential value continues to drive long-term interest in lunar and asteroid resource development.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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After playing a career-best game to tip off the season, pouring in 31 points against Indiana State, Bradford has gone cold from beyond the arc in the past two games, not attempting a three against Tennessee Tech and missing all five of his attempts on Tuesday night.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Nov. 2025
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To balance their regular caseload, Landrum said Moore police detectives passed the baton to the US Marshals, who specialized in tracking criminals across state lines and solving cold cases.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Having no cool aunt of my own and no elder sisters, just teenage babysitters and camp counselors (each with their own unique but tenuous grasp on anatomy and reproductive science), the book felt warm, inviting, and—perhaps most important to my terrified, bleeding, self—safe.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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The porous polymer coating that reflects up to 97 percent of sunlight and radiates heat into the air, keeping surfaces up to six degrees cooler than the surrounding air even under direct sun.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Powell, who stars as a game-show contestant in a race to stay alive in Wright’s adaptation of Stephen King’s dystopian novel, had been tracking the frigid weather closely, all too aware of this upcoming scene.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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The frigid blast is courtesy of our old wintertime foe, the polar vortex, Maue said.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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My favorite is the Turtle Fur Totally Tubular—100 percent merino wool that traps heat better than fleece while staying breathable, keeping me warm even in sudden snow or chilly winds.—
Ariana Dickson,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
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Deliciously tailgate-ready for a chilly Saturday, this hearty chili is an easy way to serve large crowds.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Efficiency can make a company stronger and a society brittle at the same time.—
Jane Sadowsky,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
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Nearly all her trees are damaged; their branches bare and brittle.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cold-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-eyed. Accessed 18 Nov. 2025.
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