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• cold shoulder
  cold shoulder

  noun

  a show of deliberate indifference or disregard.
• cold-shoulder
  cold-shoulder

  verb (used with object)

  to snub; show indifference to.

cold shoulder

¹ American  

[kohld shohl-der] / ˈkoʊld ˈʃoʊl dər /

noun

1. a show of deliberate indifference or disregard.

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adjective

1. Also cold-shoulder (of a sleeved garment) having a portion of each sleeve cut out, leaving the shoulders exposed.

   cold shoulder tops for everyday wear;

   a cold-shoulder dress.

cold-shoulder ² American  

[kohld-shohl-der] / ˈkoʊldˈʃoʊl dər /

verb (used with object)

1. to snub; show indifference to.

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cold shoulder British  

noun

1. a show of indifference; a slight

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verb

1. to treat with indifference

cold shoulder Cultural  

1. To “give someone the cold shoulder” is to ignore someone deliberately: “At the party, Carl tried to talk to Suzanne, but she gave him the cold shoulder.”

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cold shoulder Idioms  

1. Deliberate coldness or disregard, a slight or snub. For example, When I said hello to her in the library, she gave me the cold shoulder and walked away. This term, which first appeared in writings by Sir Walter Scott and others, supposedly alludes to the custom of welcoming a desired guest with a meal of roasted meat, but serving only a cold shoulder of beef or lamb—a far inferior dish—to those who outstayed their welcome. [Early 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of cold shoulder¹

First recorded in 1810–20; cold shoulder def. 2 was first recorded in 2010–15

Origin of cold-shoulder²

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cold shoulder cold-shoulder

Mid-sized formats, meanwhile, are getting the cold shoulder, Rennie said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

“Yellowstone” and “Marshals” star Luke Grimes recently told podcaster Joe Rogan that he’s gotten the cold shoulder after moving to the Big Sky State with his family.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 23, 2026

His early attempts to fit in did not go well; the other monkeys gave him either the cold shoulder or a very hard time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2026

The cold shoulder that Pride groups have received is coming from not just Wall Street but also local businesses, establishments that would appear, on paper, to be natural partners for their programming.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2025

Since I am still giving Mom the cold shoulder, I wait after school until Dad gets home to ask permission for my Halloween sleepover.

From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish

When he got back to the dugout, the 25-year-old, who made his debut on Sunday, was given the cold-shoulder treatment by his teammates before they broke down and congratulated him.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 7, 2022

Ditto Sarah Jessica Parker’s white cold-shoulder Vera Wang, with its echoes of both wedding dresses past and Princess Leia.

From New York Times ● Jan. 9, 2017

You don’t say that she’s otherwise unfriendly or standoffish, so don’t assume she’s trying to cold-shoulder you unless and until her behavior bears this theory out.

From Slate ● Nov. 1, 2016

In juxtaposing Mamet’s pathetic prattling and Burstyn’s cold-shoulder routine, Solondz somehow arrives at a piercing vision of two women in a state of shared yet unbridgeable despair.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2016

Before Khalil, I planned to cold-shoulder Chris with a sting more powerful than a nineties R&B breakup song.

From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas