cold case

American  

[kohld kays] / 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

Astronomers revisiting decades-old observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have found a new clue in a long-running cold case.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2026

The major breakthrough in the cold case began in October 2020, when the Big Bear Lake resident called authorities about a suspicious finding in the crawlspace under their home, the release said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Shakur's murder is a cold case that has gripped the public's fascination for 30 years.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

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

"A cold case is a case that hasn't been solved. My dad told me that while we were watching a mystery show on TV."

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