cold-shoulder 1 of 2

as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely cold-shouldered by his old friends after his family had lost all of its money

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cold shoulder

2 of 2

noun

as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder

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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-shoulder
Noun
Sal feels every insult, every quip, and every cold shoulder from one of his kids. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2025 But the Rockies gave them a cold shoulder, losing 6-3 to the Athletics in 11 innings in a game that took 3 hours and 21 minutes. Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2025 Worst of all, local and state government agencies have shown an increasing tendency to fend off public-records requests with barriers like unjustified fees or a simple cold shoulder, letting records requests lie dormant for weeks or months with no response. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025 The omission sparked some spirited posts on social media about Young and other players who received a cold shoulder from voters. Chantz Martin, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cold-shoulder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-shoulder
Verb
  • In the 1960s, astronauts munched on quick and compact snacks called Space Food Sticks that were generally made with wheat flour, sugar, protein isolate, dry milk and flavorings.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • Expanding military operations in Gaza would put the lives of countless Palestinians and the roughly 20 remaining Israeli hostages at risk while further isolating Israel internationally.
    Sonam Sheth Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • When women stop accepting dismissal, innovation follows.
    Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • Bush was placed on mandatory leave pending dismissal, officials said.
    Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The fact that both The Bear and Nobody Wants This submitted multiple episodes and ended up snubbed will perhaps be a cautionary tale next year.
    Joe Reid, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2025
  • After being snubbed by Lollapalooza in 1995, Sharon Osbourne launched Ozzfest—a touring festival that ran until 2018 and became a staple of the metal scene.
    Amanda Castro Gabe Whisnant Anna Commander Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • In some practical ways, the show remains weighted toward Judas, as Christ gets a big standout number near the top of the second act, but then goes on to pretty much give Kings Herod and Pilate and the audience the strong, silent treatment after that.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Campaigning for a job is stressful enough without unearned silent treatment from an organization someone’s pining for.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • After twice rejecting Trump, Nevadans ousted a Democratic governor in 2022 and helped Trump back to the White House in 2024.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Evers himself rejected Underly’s request to repeal a state law requiring teachers to pass the Foundations of Reading Test to obtain certain teaching licenses.
    Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • And for the legions of blue-collar stiffs just like him.
    Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
  • The boar bristles are bendy to move with hair but still stiff enough to detangle knots.
    Olivia Cigliano, Footwear News, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • But analysis by the Congressional Budget Office shows that raising the age to 69 - up from the current 67 - could cut lifetime benefits by up to 13 percent for anyone born after 1971.
    Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Mary and her friend, Amelia, planted a White Lady Banks rose cutting near the back patio of the Cochise boarding house, where the couple lived.
    Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Related article Gay rights icon Harvey Milk’s legacy slighted by decision to rename Navy ship Wald says that waiting to transition can create additional psychological distress for a child and can raise their risk of depression, suicidality, self-harm or substance misuse.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
  • Despite Meg’s efforts to connect, Ellen (Kyra Sedgwick) repeatedly slights her future daughter-in-law.
    Natalia Winkelman, New York Times, 22 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cold-shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-shoulder. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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