as in dismissals
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly
at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
These rules were administered via cold shoulders and whispers.
—Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold shoulders
Noun
-
The men allege their dismissals violated their Fifth Amendment right to due process and the First Amendment's guarantee to free association and free speech.—
Carrie Johnson,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Attorney Chris Mattei, representing the agents, said the dismissals weakened the bureau.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Incrementality isolates true lift, helping marketers quantify what exposure really moved the needle.—
Srikanth Ramachandran,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The project, which has been on ice for decades due to international concerns, effectively isolates the territory by cutting off the West Bank from East Jerusalem.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But March’s family, which has seen their factory turned upside down by the ghost of a former employee, rejects the relationship.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The seeds of bombs planted by soldiers long gone remain dormant but alive just beneath the surface and yet the land rejects them every day.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The 2025 Emmys will be written up for the gowns, the jokes, the winners, and the snubs.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The 2025 Country Music Association Awards nominations have been revealed, and there are, of course, some snubs and surprises.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fed cuts for the remainder of 2025.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
But Franc Fernandez, the designer of the dress that is today on display at the Park MGM in Las Vegas, had worked three long days to create it, draping butcher cuts on a mannequin torso.—
Steve Knopper,
Billboard,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cold shoulders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20shoulders. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share