chilly
Americanadjective
-
mildly cold or producing a sensation of cold; causing shivering; chill.
a chilly breeze.
-
feeling cold; sensitive to cold.
Her hands were chilly.
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without warmth of feeling; cool.
a chilly reply.
-
producing or likely to produce a feeling of fear; frightening.
He told a chilly story of ghosts and murder.
adverb
adjective
-
causing or feeling cool or moderately cold
-
without warmth; unfriendly
-
(of people) sensitive to cold
Related Words
See cold.
Other Word Forms
- chilliness noun
Etymology
Origin of chilly
Explanation
Did someone leave a window open? It's chilly in here! That word means "cold," and it can also mean that someone's acting in a frosty way. The main meaning of chilly is cold, but this word is often used for emotions too, just like "warm." A warm person is loving and kind, but a chilly person is unemotional, distant, and quiet. Chilly people are often called "aloof" — another word for someone who's not acting like a people person. "After you turned them in for cheating on their homework, they gave you a chilly reception."
Vocabulary lists containing chilly
Wintry Words
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Chill Out! Synonyms for "Cold"
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Sula
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But on a bright chilly morning in a Toronto area -- one of three districts holding special elections next week to fill parliamentary seats -- some said Carney's sparkling credentials had not delivered tangible results.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026
Young graduates have faced a particularly chilly job market in recent years as interest rates rose and companies pulled back on a pandemic-era hiring spree.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
Faced with a chilly house, some users might then dial up the power on their heat pump - but if you do that, much of the efficiency advantage fritters away, he says.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
On a chilly October morning last year in Memphis, Tenn., a federal agent watched as a dark-colored Mazda SUV pulled into the parking lot of Evolve Bank & Trust.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026
The wind blew chilly on their cheeks, and they walked back to the pasture in front of Sinchi’s small home.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
