cold shoulder

noun

: intentionally cold or unsympathetic treatment
got the cold shoulder from an old friend
cold-shoulder transitive verb

Examples of cold shoulder in a Sentence

at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The omission sparked some spirited posts on social media about Young and other players who received a cold shoulder from voters. Chantz Martin, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025 The actress wore the brand’s cold shoulder midi dress, which featured a plunging neckline with gold-tone bead detailing. Julia Teti, WWD, 31 Jan. 2025 All of these are considered nonverbal cold shoulder cues. Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025 And contrary to what Tyler might hope, neither would an American cold shoulder, which would only entrench Israeli hawks -- as Eisenhower's distant approach to Israel did to the hard-liners of Ben-Gurion's generation. Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2013 See all Example Sentences for cold shoulder 

Word History

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cold shoulder was in 1816

Dictionary Entries Near cold shoulder

Cite this Entry

“Cold shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cold%20shoulder. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

cold shoulder

noun
: treatment that is purposely unfriendly
cold-shoulder verb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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