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

Some are by amateur forensic analysts and would-be internet sleuths with podcast names like The Murder Men that dissect the killing as if it’s a 1980s cold case.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 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

However, the investigation was reopened as part of a cold case review in 2023 and Sharp's DNA was found to match a profile of the attacker.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

“While this was classified as a cold case, investigators and prosecutors never stopped in their relentless pursuit of justice, reaffirming our commitment to holding people accountable for the crimes they are accused of committing.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 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