cold-shoulder 1 of 2

as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely cold-shouldered by his old friends after his family had lost all of its money

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cold shoulder

2 of 2

noun

as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly at the party the two former friends consciously gave each other the cold shoulder

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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 cold-shoulder
Noun
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 Worst of all, local and state government agencies have shown an increasing tendency to fend off public-records requests with barriers like unjustified fees or a simple cold shoulder, letting records requests lie dormant for weeks or months with no response. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025 In a 2008 Ebony profile, Banks posed with Iman, Alek Wek and Kimora Lee Simmons—women who were all toggling between fabulous modeling careers, as the faces of high fashion, and new options, in case the world of struts ever turned a cold shoulder. Essence, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cold-shoulder
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cold-shoulder
Verb
  • He is isolated in Sweden — far away from coaching candidates, far away from Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza — left to find his next coach on a schedule six hours ahead of Eastern Time.
    Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 May 2025
  • Extreme anxiety and extreme depression is isolating.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • Secretary Kristi Noem welcomed the dismissal of a lawsuit against the department for sending migrants to Guantánamo Bay.
    Filip Timotija, The Hill, 23 May 2025
  • Despite widespread doubt following the dismissal of Malone, the Nuggets, led by the Adelman and his staff, exceeded expectations.
    Ricardo Klein, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Kate Hudson and Mindy Kaling’s friendship began in classic Hollywood fashion: while being snubbed at an Oscar party.
    Kara Warner, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
  • Alisson, who snubbed lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs last summer, is effectively under contract until 2027 as the club have a one-year option built into his deal.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • This silent treatment was later clarified to be part of McIlroy’s strategy to eliminate distractions.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2025
  • This distress often results in either combative behavior (arguing, criticizing) or withdrawal (silent treatment, shutting down).
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • On May 16, Brown appeared in Manchester Magistrates’ Court, where Judge Joanne Hirst rejected his bail request.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 18 May 2025
  • To compound the embarrassment, Arsenal fan group Ashburton Army had raised more than £12,000 to fund their own tifo, which the club rejected (fans who had donated were refunded their money).
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • Harsh cleaning powders and gels can scratch the surface, as can stiff brushes and scouring pads.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 May 2025
  • The past two comparable moves in this small-investor proxy, in November 2022 and March 2022, led to stiff near-term declines in the basket within weeks.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 26 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Republican bill cuts Medicaid for unemployed, undocumented children, Planned Parenthood How much do Americans rely on programs like Medicaid and Social Security?
    Riley Beggin, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • During that same period, the company cut 3,000 jobs.
    Lindsay Owens, Time, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Plus, an in-demand restaurant at capacity might not feel particularly motivated to go above and beyond to satisfy a diner who feels slighted by their subpar table.
    Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Was slighting the defense to improve the offense worth risking a miss on several top defensive prospects?
    Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Cold-shoulder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cold-shoulder. Accessed 30 May. 2025.

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