cold shoulders 1 of 2

noun

plural of cold shoulder
as in dismissals
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

cold-shoulders

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of cold-shoulder
as in isolates
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely cold-shouldered by his old friends after his family had lost all of its money

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 shoulders
Noun
There are screaming matches and cold shoulders. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026 These rules were administered via cold shoulders and whispers. — Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025 My first issue, in January, launched Nan Goldin’s campaign against the Sackler family for their role in the opioid epidemic, and this action has inspired cold shoulders from the philanthropic class. — David Velasco, Harpers Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold shoulders
  1. dismissals
  2. isolates
  3. snubs
  4. rejects
  5. cuts
  6. repulses
Noun
  • Jeremiah Johnson, vice president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said asylum rates appear to be one factor, but the dismissals cannot be attributed to a single reason.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This baseball season has been defined, in part, by dismissals.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissals
Verb
  • Soundcore Earbuds Labor Day Weekend Deal The Soundcore Space A40 Earbuds build an invisible wall against the chaos with an adaptive ANC intelligence matrix that actively isolates up to 98% of ambient noise.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Kodiak's public technology materials say the company isolates safety-critical functions from external communication ports.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of isolates
Noun
  • After the Emmy morning announcement, Vanity Fair’s experts assessed the snubs and surprises of the nominations, which may provide insight for your own ballot.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • After all, her recurring omissions for her role as Kim Wexler on Better Caul Saul is widely considered one of the biggest snubs in modern Emmy history.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of snubs
Verb
  • The Israeli government has repeatedly said the Spanish government is antisemitic, an accusation that Spain strongly rejects.
    — Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Haaretz says Netanyahu responded calmly, insisting Israel was prepared and the greater threat lay in the West Bank, while his office now brands the report an ‘absolute lie’ and rejects calls for an inquiry.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejects
Verb
  • Hassouna soon cuts to the aftermath of warning strikes that have destroyed 12 houses near the Shujaiya quarter of Gaza City.
    — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The script by Nattiv and Noa Berman Herzberg cuts between two timelines.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of cuts
Verb
  • Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.
    — Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.
    — Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of repulses

Browse Nearby Words

cold-shouldering
cold shoulders
cold-shoulders
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Cite this Entry

“Cold shoulders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20shoulders. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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