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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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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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
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Established in 1980, Channel Islands National Park consists of five islands — Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and more detached Santa Barbara — and the marine reserves which lie within 1 nautical mile of the group’s 175 miles of coastline.—
Paul Bersebach,
Oc Register,
4 June 2025
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Anderson built del Toro’s role around the actor, who repays him with a beauty of a performance, embodying the detached charisma of a morally dubious tycoon with cool ease.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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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
-
Until recently, restoring meaningful vision for these patients was a distant dream.—
Shelli Brunswick,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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Eventually, technology allows these distant intimates to share a frame.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The volcanic plain is on Mars' northern hemisphere far from the planet's frigid poles with access to water sources in the form of shallow ice.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
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Could alien microbes frolic in lakes of boiling acid or frigid liquid methane, or float in water droplets in Venus’ upper atmosphere?—
Daniel Apai,
The Conversation,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
The October air was cold, the grass brown, but Emily’s face was hot and her breath fast.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
-
Marc: The beginning — when the titular character is crying, and then immediately switches from sobbing into the camera to being this cold and calculating person.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Wear it over a tank top on chilly nights or pair it with jeans for a sophisticated yet casual look.—
Shea Simmons,
People.com,
11 June 2025
-
The impromptu show went on until about 4 a.m. Afterward, a bulk of guests exited the venue — as some lined up to enter — and piled up on the windy, slightly chilly street awaiting their taxis.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet to create an environment that supports restful sleep.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
12 June 2025
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There are some cool moments here, but the overall effect is unpleasant.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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Accordingly, Abbas has presided over a period in which many of the nascent institutions created by Oslo are, at best, brittle.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
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If Elden Ring — and the many FromSoftware games in its lineage — is about individual improvement, about experimenting with playstyles and adjusting your way of thinking until a brick wall becomes brittle before finally crumbling, then Nightreign is about improving as a team.—
Joshua Rivera,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cold-eyed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-eyed. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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