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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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-eyed
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
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
That tense meeting of the Harris clan over Kamala’s career is a metaphor for a generation of idealists passing the torch to their more cold-eyed kids.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
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
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
But there’s no denying that his cold-eyed cost-benefit analysis was usually grounded in facts, however inconvenient.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2023
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
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
That tense meeting of the Harris clan over Kamala’s career is a metaphor for a generation of idealists passing the torch to their more cold-eyed kids.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
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
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
But there’s no denying that his cold-eyed cost-benefit analysis was usually grounded in facts, however inconvenient.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-eyed
Adjective
-
The sale of the detached house in the 2300 block of Fruitdale Ave., San Jose, has been finalized.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
16 May 2025
-
Through it all, there’s the metronomic wash of the tides onto the sand, waves lapping the beach, the undulation of the ocean, and the cityscape of Rockaway, with its large apartment buildings and detached houses, in the background.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
Stock tip: Migrate to icier territories… Aston Villa 6/1 Last five results: WLWWW A two-goal deficit to overcome in the Champions League quarter-final return leg against Paris Saint-Germain next week likely spells the end of Villa’s European aspirations.—
Brett Koremenos,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The relationship between Ye and Cole has been icy for some time.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Dan, who secured 20.89% in the first round, was a distant second.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
19 May 2025
-
Its Dragonfly mission will launch in July 2028 atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket and reach the distant moon in 2034.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
Other parks, such as Denali and Wrangell–St. Elias in Alaska, are much easier to access and far less frigid in summer.—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
21 May 2025
-
When older cinematographer Otto Heller (The Ladykillers, Alfie) refused to take a medical exam to be insured for Billion Dollar Brain, which was going to be filmed in frigid Finland, producer Harry Saltzman turned to Williams, who had done commercials for Russell.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
21 May 2025
Adjective
-
Distributors — dear friends and colleagues — lament the same familiar woes: not enough films, or too many; the best titles are overpriced; the coffee is terrible; the weather is unbearable — too hot, too cold or both.—
Martin Moszkowicz,
Deadline,
17 May 2025
-
The case went cold for years but in 2022, according to a university news release, crime data analyst, Nikol Mitchell reopened the cold case while working in Utah’s Statewide Information and Analysis Center.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
During chilly morning boat excursions, hot water bottles appeared on our seats.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2025
-
Listen to this article A small group, most wearing light jackets in the chilly May evening, gathered in prayer outside the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City Monday night just hours before Benjamin Ritchie was executed by lethal injection.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
For example, stone, tile or polished concrete in flooring can reduce energy use and keep a home cool.—
Khanh T.L. Tran,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
-
On opening night, the soprano’s top notes blazed out with a cool gleam, but her lower and middle registers lacked the heft needed to punch through Strauss’s dense textures.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
Adjective
-
Editors’ Picks Darren Criss Does the Robot Image Throughout her career, Ms. Sagan was defiant, facing interviewers with a brittle sophistication.—
Sadie Stein,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
-
Tectonics refers to the processes that deform a rocky planet’s brittle outer shell.—
Elise Cutts,
Scientific American,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cold-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-eyed. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share