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

The investigation sputtered for decades because of a lack of evidence, but the cold case was revived with the publication in 2019 of Davis's memoirs.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Marx states that he reported the incident to law enforcement years later; the local sheriff’s office has denied having any cold case, missing persons case, or other report that supports Marx’s story.

From Slate ● Jun. 29, 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

A month, from an investigative standpoint, is not a long time, Morgan added, noting that he doesn't think "this is anywhere close to a cold case".

From BBC ● Mar. 8, 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