cold-shouldered

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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-shouldered Over the next half decade, Biden cold-shouldered the Turkish government. — Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-shouldered
  1. isolated
  2. rejected
  3. snubbed
  4. repulsed
  5. slighted
  6. cut
Verb
  • There are dog walkers, sunbathers, and yoga enthusiasts, often looking rather isolated despite the company around them.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 12 Nov. 2026
  • According to three people briefed on the episode, the Times reported that Jensen Huang's security detail isolated the bystander who recorded it and offered that person a nondisclosure agreement.
    — Lars Hanson, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of isolated
Verb
  • She’s gotten used to trying, and trying again; while applying for fiction writing classes in college, Adeyemi says, she was rejected five semesters in a row.
    — Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The three Republicans on the court backed the proposal, arguing the poll sites were underutilized, while the two Democrats rejected it.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of rejected
Verb
  • Most in the mainstream also failed to raise a ruckus when Sturgill Simpson, on the heels of a Grammy win for A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, was snubbed by the CMA Awards.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2026
  • There was some discourse online Saturday night as to whether or not Chappelle snubbed Talarico early during the goodbyes, but the politician can later be seen embracing both Chappelle and Rock.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of snubbed
Verb
  • Not since voters were repulsed by President Nixon after the Watergate scandal half a century ago has the popular vote swung so decisively in a single election cycle.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Young people just aren’t interested, partly because they’re repulsed by bodily fluids.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of repulsed
Verb
  • The other four QBs peaked inside the top 10 last season, so they’ve all been slighted to a degree with the initial rankings of 2026.
    — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • But after reaching All-Star status for the first time in his career, after keeping the Heat afloat through the first half of last season while Herro was sidelined, Norman Powell need offer no apology for feeling slighted.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of slighted
Verb
  • Early in the second quarter, Chisholm Trail found the end zone on a 55-yard touchdown pass, cutting the margin to 21-14 heading into halftime.
    — Ryan Hunt, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Nov. 2026
  • Within moments of picking up the phone and without even any real prompting, Kylee Russell was cutting right to the chase.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 14 Nov. 2026
Definition of cut

Browse Nearby Words

cold shoulder
cold-shouldered
cold-shouldering
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Cite this Entry

“Cold-shouldered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-shouldered. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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