1
as in chilly
having a low or subnormal temperature
bring a jacket, as it's a little nippy outside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spicy
having a powerfully stimulating odor or flavor
blue cheese is a little too nippy for my taste
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brisk
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed
racing around the neighborhood on a nippy scooter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
a nippy wind that chilled parade watchers to the bone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 nippy
The Lost Valley is home to a simulated dinosaur chase through a jungle as well as a nippy roller coaster which heads out into the desert.
—
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This 400-year-old riverside Tudor in Lechlade-on-Thames dials up the British charm with sumptuous, velvet furnishings and a huge stone fireplace to combat the traditionally nippy weather.
—Shannon Sharpe, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
Despite the nippy wind by the lake, Montrose Beach had a busy Sunday: families gathered on picnic blankets to celebrate Mother’s Day, and seagulls, killdeer and red-winged blackbirds scoured for food among the waves that washed ashore.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
With it, there’s no need to haul up a turtleneck or coat collar in the nippy wind or rain.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
This 400-year-old riverside Tudor in Lechlade-on-Thames dials up the British charm with sumptuous, velvet furnishings and a huge stone fireplace to combat the traditionally nippy weather.
—Shannon Sharpe, Architectural Digest, 28 May 2025
Despite the nippy wind by the lake, Montrose Beach had a busy Sunday: families gathered on picnic blankets to celebrate Mother’s Day, and seagulls, killdeer and red-winged blackbirds scoured for food among the waves that washed ashore.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
With it, there’s no need to haul up a turtleneck or coat collar in the nippy wind or rain.
—Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nippy
Adjective
-
The solid side features side-seam pockets that are perfect for keeping your hands warm on chilly days, while the tartan side features flap pockets to keep your phone, earbuds, and other small valuables secure.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Ahead of the chilly weather, conditions will be warm and sunny on Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The genre-swerving approach mirrored the spirit of Cheetos® Flamin’ Hot® Dill Pickle — an unexpected pairing that delivers something spicy.—
Walaa Elsiddig,
Billboard,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The trio are avid romance and spicy readers but also have a love for fantasy and science fiction.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ian Cheney’s brisk but sprawling doc interrogates the origins of the dish, who invented it, how it got popularized, and the eponymous 19th-century military leader who may (or may not) have inspired it.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
-
And then, to step off the train after two days into a brisk Chicago afternoon, 2,265 miles from home, having never left the ground?—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There was something icy and chilling in Rodgers’s tone.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Third, the chilling requirement of four to five hundred hours — the number of winter hours below 45 degrees needed for flowering to occur — eliminates much of Los Angeles as an appropriate locale for nut production.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The spa Shaded by almost 100 palm trees and other endemic plants, the Ojo de Agua (watering hole) spa has hot and cold dipping pools.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Texas has gone cold at the worst time.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The hitch is the beach, which is used primarily by local fishermen and thus can be pungent.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Prized for its blue-green veins, creamy yet crumbly texture, and compelling sweet yet pungent tang, this cheese begins from the raw milk of Lacaune sheep that graze in the Roquefort region of France.—
Nancy Vienneau,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Provinces such as Anhui, Zhejiang, and Shandong are establishing robot training centers in rapid succession to accelerate the commercialization of emerging robotics technologies.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Varieties of Blueberries Blueberry varieties differ in terms of how many chill hours (the number of hours in wintertime when your temperature is at or below 45°F) are needed to produce fruit, as well as the plant’s heat tolerance.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
12 Mar. 2026
-
How To Prune Blueberry Bushes Blueberries need a number of chill hours below 45ºF during dormancy to prompt new growth and flower development for next season.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nippy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nippy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
