cold-blooded

adjective

ˈkōl(d)-ˈblə-dəd How to pronounce cold-blooded (audio)
Definition of cold-bloodednext
1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings a cold-blooded criminal who never once showed an ounce of mercy to his victims

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling the cold-blooded selfishness shown by the miser when confronted by people in need

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3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion a cold-blooded assessment of the situation showed that the company needed either to lay off workers or go bankrupt

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4
as in hybrid
or coldblood being offspring produced by parents of different races, breeds, species, or genera he may not be as fancy as the other horses they own, but that cold-blooded gelding is safe and gentle

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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-blooded Like all sea turtle species, loggerheads are cold-blooded and rely on warm ocean temperatures. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 16 June 2026 At the same time, the people making the party’s spending decisions can be cold-blooded in the other direction; if better opportunities emerge, or if Platner slips way behind Collins, Democrats could prioritize other states. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 10 June 2026 To plants and cold-blooded creatures, in contrast, fungi pose grave threats. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 25 May 2026 Today, monitor lizards are considered to be among the most intelligent of all cold-blooded animals. — Craig Stanford, Big Think, 7 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cold-blooded
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-blooded
  1. ruthless
  2. icy
  3. stoic
  4. hybrid
  5. merciless
  6. cold
  7. mixed
  8. frigid
Adjective
  • Sure, that sounds ridiculous for a season about rape, infidelity, mass murder, suicide, and society’s ruthless commodification of those very things.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In part, Iran’s political system and ruthless crackdown on protest has given it some insulation from the economic destruction imposed by the blockade and sanctions.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • Technology is at the heart of facials, especially, from a skin analysis machine and facial sculpting wand to a cryotherapy mask that was positively icy—but also awesome—at -4 degrees Fahrenheit.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The situation—his icy glare, the perfect framing—was a bit of stagecraft amid chaos.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • After the blinding start to a decisive Game 3 against the Las Vegas Aces, after the crawl through quicksand for the rest of it, after the bloody lip and a stoic walk off the floor while cannons spit celebratory smoke into the air.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Like some of the music, the album artwork also pays homage to the animal world and our interconnectedness—the abstract piece offers a single line drawing that weaves in outlines of a panting dog, screeching cat, stoic bunny, and wise owl.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of stoic
Adjective
  • Sephora will stock Rhode’s core skin care and hybrid makeup products, including the new Pocket Bronze and Highlight Milk collections.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The warning comes as Baltic military exercises expand and European leaders raise concerns about Russian sabotage and other hybrid attacks amid the war in Ukraine.
    — Lorne Cook, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of hybrid
Adjective
  • Cora, the granddaughter of a woman kidnapped from West Africa and sold into slavery, flees her captor’s plantation, plunging her into the book’s alternate steampunk reality where she is pursued by the merciless slave catcher Ridgeway.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
  • But the movie very much belongs to Trinca and Bruni Tedeschi, just as Anna belongs to the merciless stranger.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of merciless
Adjective
  • The spa is set to open in mid-December and promises to have a range of treatments including massages, facials, and hot/cold therapy.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Concrete is rigid, cold, and dead; land is living and breathing.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • Scandium’s role in aerospace and advanced technology Rare earth separation involves converting mixed material into individual oxides used across advanced manufacturing and other strategic industries.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The measure has drawn mixed reactions, with supporters arguing that early intervention could reduce per-student costs over time and opponents saying property owners already face rising costs and the district should use existing resources.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of mixed
Adjective
  • On a frigid but bright December morning, David Ellison, his top legal chief Makan Delrahim and coterie of executives took over a subterranean space in the New York City office of investment bank UBS.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The infamous flying-kick-head-butt challenge on Cobi Jones during the 2002 World Cup round of 16 was followed by a kung-fu-like kick on Tim Howard in the frigid Columbus air in World Cup qualifying in 2009.
    — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of frigid

Browse Nearby Words

cold
cold-blooded
cold-bloodedly
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Cite this Entry

“Cold-blooded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-blooded. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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