freezing

1 of 2

adjective

freez·​ing ˈfrē-ziŋ How to pronounce freezing (audio)
1
: very cold
"Put on your jacket. It's freezing outside!"
Addy rushed home through the darkening streets as if she were pushed along by the wind. She was freezing!Connie Porter
2
: being at or below the temperature at which water freezes
a forecast for freezing temperatures overnight
freezing adverb
The weather was freezing cold. [=very cold]
freezingly adverb
freezingly cold temperatures
Mrs. Reed's hands still lay on her work inactive: her eye of ice continued to dwell freezingly on mine. Charlotte Brontë

freezing

2 of 2

noun

: the temperature at which water freezes
temperatures dipping below freezing

Examples of freezing in a Sentence

Adjective why aren't you wearing a coat, as it's freezing outside?
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.
Adjective
Austin opens cold weather shelters Tuesday night Austin is opening its cold weather shelters Tuesday night as freezing temperatures are expected in the region into Wednesday morning. Hogan Gore, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024 Protecting children from Ukraine’s freezing temperatures Children in Ukraine are facing their third winter since the escalation of the war in February 2022. Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
Refrigeration will slow the growth of bacteria on foods, but neither refrigeration nor freezing will kill bacteria that’s already there, Rai explains. Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024 The Alternative to Egg Freezing Flora positions itself as an alternative or an addition to egg freezing, a procedure that has gained popularity but comes with its own set of challenges and uncertainties. Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for freezing 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of freezing was circa 1616

Dictionary Entries Near freezing

Cite this Entry

“Freezing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freezing. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on freezing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!