1
as in chilly
having a low or subnormal temperature
bring a jacket, as it's a little nippy outside
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2
as in spicy
having a powerfully stimulating odor or flavor
blue cheese is a little too nippy for my taste
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3
as in brisk
moving, proceeding, or acting with great speed
racing around the neighborhood on a nippy scooter
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4
as in chilling
uncomfortably cool
a nippy wind that chilled parade watchers to the bone
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nippy
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
Friday is when things will get nippy.
—Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for nippy
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
Friday is when things will get nippy.
—Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for nippy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nippy
Adjective
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Bedsure GentleSoft Fleece Blanket There’s nothing quite like snuggling under a cozy blanket during chilly weather.—
Brittany VanDerBill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Feb. 2026
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Joonhee Park’s grayscale set design, complemented by Ben Carne’s fluorescent lighting, particularly suits Marlene’s harsh corporate world, but the chilly look also nods to Thatcherite austerity throughout the play.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Queso fresco, a mild and milky cheese, balances spicy food exceptionally well.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
25 Feb. 2026
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The cream cheese makes these spicy sausage balls fluffy.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Morning habits like brisk walking, jogging, strength training, or short high-intensity workouts have all been linked to lower blood pressure.—
Alexandria Nyembwe,
Health,
20 Feb. 2026
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Many aspects of Elvis’ story are touched on glancingly or not at all in the film’s brisk 90-minute runtime.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, in an interview televised by the German Press Agency, Waller said that the verdict could have a chilling effect on how climbers approach trips into the mountains in Austria.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
21 Feb. 2026
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But layered onto Savannah’s celebrity is the general mystery surrounding the chilling case.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This year, Russia has worked to keep Ukraine cold, presumably in an attempt to turn us against each other.—
Daria Kolomiec,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
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The orange juice is cold and freshly pressed, the espresso dark and strong, the tea served with a strainer (because proper leaves are used).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The pungent aroma was bad news for the parrots when humans arrived in New Zealand hundreds of years ago.—
Charlotte Graham-McLay,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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The green sprout is safe to eat, but the flavor is often stronger, more pungent, and even sometimes more bitter compared with the bulb, says Baker.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
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The recent turmoil is testing some of the foundations that powered private credit’s rapid growth, including aggressive underwriting, highly leveraged middle-market borrowers and the promise of stable capital insulated from bank-style runs.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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And Mike is so good at directing them and keeping them chill.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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Despite a few especially chill days, temperatures have stayed mostly above normal in the region over the winter months, according to climate data from the National Weather Service Fort Worth.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nippy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nippy. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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