cold case

American  

[kohld keys] / ˈkoʊld ˈkeɪs /

noun

1. a criminal investigation that has remained unsolved for an extended period of time.

   This year's award recipient is a state trooper whose work helped close a cold case from 1983.

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Etymology

Origin of cold case

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cold case

Det Con Fran Homer, from the Metropolitan Police's cold case team, said it had been "heartbreaking" to hear how he had felt guilt over what happened, despite not being in any way to blame.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Renée Ballard, who collaborates with Stilwell on that cold case, has starred or co-starred in several novels of her own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

The public’s on-again, off-again interest kept Smart’s disappearance in the news sporadically, but a podcast called “Your Own Backyard,” begun in 2019 by Chris Lambert, shone a new spotlight on the cold case.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026

In recent years, when a new break in a cold case makes headlines, it’s often because of updated genealogy tools or forensic detection technology.

From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026

"If this mystery is about ice cream," Bess said, "does that make it a cold case?"

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene