cold turkey

as in clam
a cold aloof person my new boss is a cold turkey and definitely not one for chitchat

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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 turkey How to digital detox Fisher warns that going cold turkey can be a jolt to the system. Rachel Hale, USA Today, 7 June 2025 Tapering the use of these drugs rather than quitting cold turkey may be safest. Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 30 May 2025 How Leaders Can Find Freedom Retirement shouldn’t be about just stopping everything cold turkey. Chad Willardson, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 No matter the continued risk of withdrawal symptoms, medications like methadone for those who are pregnant are still safer than quitting illicit fentanyl cold turkey, according to Davidson. Kate Bolduan, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cold turkey
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold turkey
Noun
  • Exercises like wall-sits, clam shells, step-ups, and Romanian deadlifts target the knees and surrounding muscles to improve strength and stability.
    Jakob Roze, Health, 2 Sep. 2025
  • The menu features flatbreads, sandwiches and appetizers such as French dip sliders and Boston favorites, including clam chowder and lobster rolls.
    David J. Bohnet, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Lancelot, still the Round Table’s greatest hero, is a bit of a cold fish with an unexpected role to play as the saga winds to its close.
    Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, 16 July 2024
  • This emulsified mixture of garlic, olive oil and egg is a classic accompaniment to fish (especially cold fish).
    Domenica Marchetti, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
Noun
  • These are peel-and-stick films that block solar heat gain, creating more comfortable interiors while reducing reliance on air conditioning.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Whoever was the first person to pierce a marshmallow with a stick and pop it over the campfire.
    Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Scambos says this is part of the normal life cycle of icebergs, something that's been happening for millennia, and doesn't appear to be part of climate change.
    Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Meijers explained the circumstances that led to the iceberg’s breakup.
    Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cold turkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold%20turkey. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.

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